Tragic Incident: Boy Thrown Into Ravine After Fatal Dog Attack, Says Attorney General

A Kansas resident faces murder charges following an incident where his unrestrained dogs — a mix of mastiff and pit bull breeds — allegedly attacked and killed a 13-year-old neighbor. The man is accused of subsequently disposing of the boy’s mutilated body by throwing it “down a large ravine.”

Damon Leonard, aged 47, has been charged with second-degree murder among other offenses in connection with the brutal death of Airen Andula, a seventh grader from Linn County. Airen, who lived nearby, was on his way to a friend’s house when the incident occurred, as reported by The Kansas City Star.

According to Airen’s family, the young boy was headed to let out his friend’s dogs and chickens in December 2025 when he was attacked by Leonard’s dogs, known for roaming freely, just days before Christmas.

Following the fatal mauling, Leonard allegedly transported Airen’s remains and disposed of them “down a large ravine in a creek bed” approximately 30 miles away in Missouri, as detailed in an arrest affidavit.

Leonard has already been convicted in Missouri for abandoning a corpse and received a four-year prison sentence last week. This week, the Kansas Attorney General’s Office charged him with murder, involuntary manslaughter, obstruction of justice, desecration of a body, and allowing a dangerous animal to roam freely.

“I might have been able to forgive the dog attack,” said Jody Andula, Airen’s mother, in an interview with The Star in January. “That could be seen as a tragic accident, but I can’t forgive him for hiding my son’s whereabouts while we were desperately searching. Pretending he was unaware while knowing the truth — that’s something I can’t come to terms with.”

Andula said it was supposed to take Airen just five minutes to ride to his friend’s house to tend to their pets — chickens, a pet rooster and dogs — while his family was away, and then another five minutes to ride back.

Airen was biking on a gravel path when Leonard’s dogs allegedly attacked him.

“I mean, as a parent, you can’t imagine another parent doing [that], let alone watching it, and not helping a child,” said Ashlyn Clough, mother of Airen’s best friend whom Airen was helping out. “I don’t know what was going through his head. It just doesn’t make sense why he didn’t call 911. Maybe he panicked and he was scared. But even if you were panicked and were scared, you could have at least called.”