canine attack
© Angela Antunes / CC by 2.0
Kentucky State Police are investigating the death of a 79-year-old man who was attacked and killed by a pack of dogs in McCreary County.

The body was discovered Tuesday morning laying in a yard off Highway 1651 near Whitley City in McCreary County. After further investigation, Kentucky State Police looked at security footage and saw a pack of dogs attacking Vinson Tucker of Stearns. The coroner pronounced Tucker dead at 10:23 Tuesday morning.

Investigators found the dogs, which were then put down.

"He was just a good guy," Tucker's cousin Mike Hines said. "That's all I can say about him is he's just a good guy. I hate to see a 79-year-old man go that way. It's just sad and nothing you can do about it."

Relatives say Tucker went to the towing yard to make a payment. That's when the dogs attacked him.

Police say they do not know who owned the dogs, but if they did have an owner, that person could face charges.

Police say the dogs are being sent to the state veterinarian for a necropsy and to be tested for rabies.

Troopers say Tucker's body is being sent to the state medical examiner in Frankfort for an autopsy on Wednesday.

McCreary Funeral Home is handling Tucker's arrangements.