Kentucky: Sheriff says woman beaten, tortured and scalped by ex-boyfriend Zachary Gross, attacked by his dog

KENTUCKY -- A northern Kentucky woman is recovering from a horrific attack Thursday night, Sept. 24.

 

 

She was beaten and had three-quarters of her scalp ripped away from her head. Deputies said it was all at the hands of her ex-boyfriend and his dog.

Inside a Walton, Kentucky home, the Boone County sheriff’s office said 26-year-old Marilyn Stanley was beaten, her ear chewed off by a dog and even scalped by her ex-boyfriend Zachary Gross.

   

 

Sheriff's spokesman, Tom Scheben, said the assault started because of a Facebook post that Gross started beating Stanley while they were eating.

"She says she's about four french fries in and he socks her in the face. And then four or five more," said Scheben.

But Scheben said it didn't end with a few punches. The assault escalated to the bedroom and become even more violent.

“It was lengthily. At one point she gets a knife in defense, he says put the knife down or I'm going to sic the dog on you. She didn't and that's where the real injuries came in."

 

According to investigators, Gross used the knife to detach 70 percent of Stanley's scalp and used his dog to rip off her ear.

"When he's finished he praises the dog for the work he did. Then makes her stand in front of mirror to make her look at herself now," said Scheben.

The dog was at the county shelter, Gross at the county jail. After the beating, the knife cutting and the dog attack Marilyn was dropped off in the neighborhood near her mother’s house. At that point she was able to get some help and get police.

The street where he dumped her

"We will all raise our voices, we all say things we didn't mean to say in the heat of the moment. Domestic violence takes it a step further. I believe this takes domestic violence a step further by siccing this pit bull on her and cutting her scalp off, there's no need for that," said Scheben.

Gross was arrested the same night as the alleged attack and was charged with second degree assault and harboring a vicious animal.

A GoFundMe account has been set up to help Marilyn Stanley with medical bills.

(Local12 - Sept 28, 2015)