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Person County man arrested for dog's role in death

A Person County man was charged Thursday with involuntary manslaughter after authorities linked his dog to bites on the body of a Henderson man found outside a Roxboro home on Memorial Day weekend.

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ROXBORO, N.C. — A Person County man was charged Thursday with involuntary manslaughter after authorities linked his dog to bites on the body of a Henderson man found outside a Roxboro home on Memorial Day weekend.

Tests matched DNA and blood from Antonio Ford's dog, DMX, to that found on Eugene Cameron, including DNA on bite marks in the clothing, said Person County Sheriff Dewey Jones. He said tests also found Cameron's blood on the dog.

"We can actually prove the dog did bite the victim," Jones said.

Ford was also charged with felony obstruction of justice. He was placed in the Person County Detention Center under a $2 million bond.

Cameron, 65, was found dead on May 26 under a carport at 1189 Semora Road, west of Roxboro, where he was checking on the house of a friend, his family said.

Witnesses said that Cameron was found naked, with his clothes balled up beside him, and surrounded by bloody dog paw prints. He had a severe injury to his right arm that authorities said could have caused him to bleed to death.

"The dog pulled at the victim and slid the victim some," Jones said.

Immediately after Cameron's death, animal control officers seized 8-year-old DMX from Ford's home next to the crime scene.

Jones said that DMX, who has been held since then, will almost certainly be euthanized. A court order is required to put the dog down.

Signs posted outside Ford's home Thursday saying "Free DMX U got the wrong dog" and "Dewy Jones Liar Thief Dognaper."

At the time of Cameron's death, Ford vigorously defended his dog, saying that DMX was in his cage on the night of the attack.

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