Police search for stolen Doberman puppies after dog breeder apparently murdered

IDAHO SPRINGS, Colo. (TMX/Gray News) – Authorities in Colorado are searching for Doberman puppies after a breeder was killed in his home last week and a litter believed to be for sale was stolen.

Dog breeder Paul Peavey, 57, was found dead in his Idaho Springs home on Saturday, three days after he was reported missing.

According to the Clear Creek County Sheriff's Office, up to ten puppies that could be sold for thousands of dollars are missing.

Investigators said the puppies may have been sold “through social media or other means sometime since Tuesday, August 20.”

Peavey's friend Bruce Boynton told KMGH he became concerned this week when he couldn't reach Peavey and took matters into his own hands.

“I'm the one who went to the property and found that so much was wrong, the puppies were gone, the house was trashed and everything of value was missing,” Boynton said.

The sheriff's office said a missing person report was filed Wednesday evening.

After an extensive search, volunteers found Peavey's body on a hillside and notified officials.

“The condition of his body leads us to believe this was a suspicious death,” said Clear Creek County Sheriff Matthew Harris.

The death is being investigated as a homicide.

Boynton believes his friend was targeted because of his dogs.

“His dogs were his life because he had been through a lot in his life and the dogs were his therapy,” Boynton told KMGH.

All of Peavey's puppies were microchipped, and investigators are asking any citizens in the central Colorado area who recently purchased a Doberman to check for a microchip and contact the sheriff's office to determine if the puppy is Peavey's.

The sheriff's office is also asking anyone who has purchased a puppy through Peavey's business, Elite European Dobermans, since June to contact the sheriff, whether or not they have already received the puppy, so that they can determine how many puppies are still missing.

On Tuesday, the sheriff's office said it had received several tips about a Craigslist ad for Doberman puppies in the Colorado Springs area. However, the ad was genuine and the seller cooperated with the investigation. Investigators said the seller was not involved in the murder.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Clear Creek Sheriff's Office at 303-679-2393, email [email protected] or submit an anonymous tip online here.

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