A peaceful morning walk turned into a nightmare for a Cocoa-area woman who was brutally attacked and killed by two loose pit bulls near her home. Jodi Cowan, 50, was fatally mauled in a grassy area on Blue Bonnet Drive in the Sharpes community, leaving her longtime partner Donnell Smith devastated after he witnessed the horrific scene and tried desperately to save her.
Donnell Smith had briefly stepped across the street to help neighbors early Tuesday morning, May 19, 2026, when he returned and noticed his wife and their small dog were missing. Moments later, he heard Jodi Cowan screaming for help and rushed toward the sound. He allegedly saw two large dogs dragging her through the grass in a nearby area.
Smith found Cowan covered in severe dog bites across her body. He fought to stop the bleeding while calling 911, even using a knife to fend off the dogs as they tried to drag her away again. Emergency responders arrived and airlifted Cowan to a nearby hospital, but she succumbed to her extensive injuries hours later.
A neighbor’s security camera captured Cowan carrying her small dog shortly before the attack. Smith believes the two pit bulls were chasing their pet, and Cowan intervened to protect the smaller animal, which then turned the dogs’ aggression toward her. The dogs, named Mako and Max by neighbors, were later seized by Brevard County Animal Services.
The couple had lived together for more than 20 years. Smith and other neighbors had previously reported the dogs to authorities for escaping and acting aggressively, raising questions about why stronger action was not taken sooner. The Brevard County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the fatal attack.
This heartbreaking incident has left the Sharpes and Cocoa community in mourning and fearful, with many calling for greater accountability for dog owners and stricter enforcement of animal control laws. Jodi Cowan is remembered by loved ones as a kind woman who loved people and dogs, making her death especially tragic.
