Shenandoah Man Receives Suspended Sentence in Page County Case
LURAY, Va. — A Shenandoah man has pleaded guilty to charges stemming from a 2025 incident, but will serve no additional jail time beyond the period he has already spent in custody.
After disturbing images surfaced on social media last summer, the Page County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) released a statement regarding an individual who may have been involved.
On Aug. 26, 2025, photos appearing to show disemboweled livestock discarded along a roadway were anonymously shared in a local Facebook community group.
Hundreds of outraged responses followed, with users identifying the individual they believed to be responsible and voicing concerns about his behavior.
Many commenters said they planned to contact the PCSO and the Virginia Department of Agriculture’s Office of Veterinary Services to file formal complaints.
On Aug. 28, 2025, the sheriff’s office issued the following statement on social media:
The Page County Sheriff’s Office is aware of and is continuing to investigate an incident involving livestock and threats on Grindstone Mountain Road.
Currently, Joseph Clinton Dovel III has been charged with the following:
§18.2-137 – Destruction of property
§18.2-60 – Threats by letter, communication, or electronic communication
§18.2-60.3 – Stalking
Dovel has been held without bond at the Page County Jail.
This investigation is ongoing. No additional details will be released at this time.
The PCSO statement and online court records made no reference to actual animal abuse.
Dovel, who was represented by attorney Caleb Routhier of Helm Law, has made several appearances in Page County Circuit Court since his arrest.
On the morning of Jan. 7, 2026, Dovel pleaded guilty to his charges.
According to online court records, he was sentenced to 12 months in jail, with all 12 months suspended, and received three years of supervised probation.
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