Colorado police hope a missing litter of purebred Doberman puppies could be the key to solving the suspicious death of a decorated dog breeder, “a rare case” that left the dog community with jaws on the ground, one expert said.

Paul Peavey, 57, was found dead on his 110-acre Idaho Springs property by a search party of concerned family members on Saturday. 

Although his three adult dogs were unharmed and brought to an area animal shelter, sheriff’s office communication manager Jenny Fulton said on Wednesday that his latest litter of as many as 10 puppies was nowhere to be found. 

Police believe the animals, each of which was microchipped, were sold on social media. Anyone who has purchased a Doberman puppy in the Colorado area since Peavey was last seen alive on Aug. 19 is asked to contact the department or bring the animal to a shelter or veterinary office where it can be scanned. 

“This is such a rare case that our jaws were on the ground,” American Kennel Club spokesperson Brandi Hunter Munden told Fox News Digital. “We don’t see this – this is not what the sport is made of. It’s tragic to see that this man lost his life, especially because he dedicated his life to dogs. This is not typical behavior among dog breeders. This is definitely different.”

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Fulton said Peavey delivered two litters this summer, and anyone who purchased an animal directly from Peavey’s Elite European Dobermans business since June is also asked to contact Clear Creek County detectives. The department wrote in its social media post that “this will help [them] determine how many puppies are unaccounted for.”

“We’ve gotten over 40 tips related to this investigation; probably 25 of those are related to puppies,” Fulton said. “Of those, there are probably half a dozen who have purchased a puppy from Paul.”

The department has not disclosed the condition that Peavey was found in, only saying that they suspect foul play was involved in his death. Fulton said further information will be released after his autopsy.

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As many as 10 Doberman puppies were missing from Peavey’s property when he was found dead. They were all microchipped, and detectives hope they will be found and provide a lead in the unsolved case. (Facebook/Elite European Dobermans)

“We haven’t quite come to a determination on motive yet,” Fulton said.

Police do not believe that there is a danger to the public, the department wrote in its press release.

“Dog flipping” – the practice of stealing high-value dogs and selling them on Craigslist for a profit – is on the rise in many parts of the United States, according to the FACE Foundation (Foundation for Animal Care and Education).

Although it’s rare, breeders have fallen victim to mass thefts of their purebred dogs. In 2022, for example, a Long Island, New York, dog breeder’s home was broken into by thieves, according to ABC 7, and five French bulldog puppies and two adult dogs were stolen.

“Normally, a dog theft is something quick; they snatch the dog away because it’s outside, from its human. But you generally don’t hear about breeders being targeted in this way,” Munden said. 

Paul Peavey is pictured at a Colorado Kennel Club show in February 2024 with his prized stud, Jax Von Maximus. (Facebook/Elite European Dobermans)

Victims of dog flipping are generally targeted in advance, Munden said. 

“Someone is aware that they have a litter or an expensive dog breed. It’s someone who had to pay attention,” she said. 

Dog trainer Tom Davis told Fox News Digital that purebred Dobermans sell for between $1,000 and $5,000.

Although Peavey did not disclose pricing for his dogs on his website, he priced stud services from his prized male, Jax Maximus Von Zipper, at $7,500.

NEW DELHI: The chief minister of Tamil Nadu, M K Stalin, announced on Sunday that he has secured a Rs 400 crore investment from Ohmium in Chengalpattu district, which will create 500 jobs. This investment aims to nurture the ecosystem for green energy production and promote a sustainable future. Additionally, the Tamil Nadu government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Google to set up Artificial Intelligence labs at Guidance to skill 2 million youngsters in AI.

“Another successful day in San Francisco! We’ve secured a Rs 400 crore investment from Ohmium in Chengalpattu district, creating 500 jobs. This marks a significant step in nurturing the ecosystem for green energy production and fuelling a sustainable future!” Stalin posted on X.
On Saturday, Tamil Nadu’s industries minister T R B Rajaa, highlighted the partnership with Google signed during CM Stalin’s visit to Google’s headquarters. The chief minister is currently on an official visit to the United States, aiming to secure support and investments for the state’s economic development.
“With #CMStalinInUS, Tamil Nadu is racing into a new era of tech #RnD, #semiconductors design and #AI!! On our visit to the @Google HQ today, we’ve signed an MoU to set up the ‘#TamilNaduAILabs’ at @Guidance_TN in #Chennai, in partnership with #Google!” Rajaa posted on X.
“With this partnership, we aim to skill 2 MILLION youngsters in AI via Naan Mudhalvan, collaborate with startups, and enable MSMEs and the rural economy. We want our youth to be a future-ready workforce,” he added.
These developments are part of chief minister MK Stalin’s efforts during his official visit to the United States, focussed on enhancing the prosperity and economic development of Tamil Nadu. The collaboration with Ohmium and Google reflects the state government’s commitment to advancing technology and green energy initiatives.

Recently, the San Francisco 49ers extended disgrunteled wide receiver Brando Aiyuk after months of trade speculation, and along the way, the Denver Broncos were linked. According to reports by ESPN’s Dianna Russini and Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, the Broncos were involved in a potential trade that never was. 

We learned after the extension that the Niners wanted a receiver to replace Aiyuk, if he were to be traded, and they had their eyes on Courtland Sutton, the Broncos’ top wide receiver. To feel comfortable making the trade, the Niners were reportedly willing to give Denver a third-round pick for Sutton.

When you add in Breer’s report, the pick to be exchanged would’ve been a Niners’ third-round pick by way of the Pittsburgh Steelers. The question is, did the Broncos make the right decision?

In order to answer that question, we must examine all the details that have emerged since Aiyuk’s extension knocked loose a lot of new information. Let’s dive in.

The Broncos moved on from Tim Patrick to ease their log jam at wide receiver and create an avenue for younger receivers like Devaughn Vele, Troy Franklin, and Marvin Mims Jr. to see the field. Releasing Patrick wasn’t a move to help the salary cap situation since the Broncos ate $6 million in dead money while saving a little over $1.1 million in cap space. It was about the log jam at the position. 

Sutton has the second-highest cap hit on the Broncos roster, at a hair under $17.3 million, behind left tackle Garett Bolles. Sutton was unsatisfied with his contract, and for months, the Broncos were unwilling to rework his deal.

However, the two sides finally came to an agreement on some bonuses that were considered unlikely to be earned. The fact that they are unlikely to be earned matters a ton here. 

When performance bonuses are handed out, they’re dubbed unlikely or likely to be earned based on a player’s track record. If they’re likely to be earned, they’ll count against the current year’s salary cap, and if they go unearned, the team will re-gain that cap space the following season.

As unlikely bonuses, they count against the following year’s salary cap if earned. This is important in this situation with Sutton. 

The Broncos wouldn’t be on the hook for any of the money unless he earned those bonuses. If he were with the Niners and earned them, it would go against their salary cap. With no new guaranteed money, the Broncos would save $9.6 million against the salary cap with $7.6 million in dead money. 

Had the Broncos traded Sutton, this would likely have kept Patrick on the roster. Remember, Patrick represents roughly $6 million in dead money while freeing up $1.1 million.

Trading Sutton would’ve added $1.6 million more in dead money, but it would have freed up $8.5 million more in usable cap space, which could’ve also been used to roll over into the 2025 season. The Broncos will still be dealing with Russell Wilson’s dead cap hit, so an extra $8.5 million could be useful. 

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The other fact here is the additional third-round pick, which, according to Breer, would’ve been from the Steelers. It’s impossible to predict where that third-round pick would end up, but let’s look at where different publications projected them. 

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has never had a losing season, and the defense they have is excellent, so most outlets view them as a nine or 10-win team. NFL.com had Pittsburgh tied with the Broncos as the 11th team in the AFC, but no record was given.

USA TODAY had the Steelers at 10-7, as did Sports Illustrated. I was unable to find a Steelers record prediction from ESPN or other national sites. That record would have put that pick Denver would have garnered from San Francisco for Sutton at around pick at No. 85 overall or the 20th or 21st pick in the third round. That’s better than if the pick was coming from the Niners, who are projected to be in the late 90s, as they’re one of the favorites to contend for a Super Bowl this year. 

The final fact to consider is the uncertainty of Sutton’s future with the team. There was a chance for the Broncos to rework his deal, which could’ve included an extension to secure his future with the team for at least a couple more seasons, but the team passed on that.

Rumors have been circulating about the Broncos wanting to move on from Sutton for almost three years. So, that’s important to remember when talking about the uncertainty of his standing with the team in future years. 

The Broncos had a chance to proceed with Patrick, an extra third-round pick, and an additional $8.5 million in salary cap space, but they passed on that avenue. Would that have been better than having only Sutton for the 2024 season with uncertainty beyond 2025, the final year of his deal?

The Broncos are betting that Sutton’s worth more to them on the team than all those other resources combined, and only time will tell whether they made the right decision.

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