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Tragic Loss: 23-Year-Old UT Tyler Student Mauled to Death by Three Dogs While Pet-Sitting

Madison Riley Hull, 23, a University of Texas at Tyler student, was killed by three pit bulls while pet sitting in Tyler, Texas, on Nov. 21. A responding deputy shot and killed one dog and removed Hull from the yard, but she died shortly afterward. Her mother set up a fundraiser that had raised over $13,000 to cover funeral and memorial expenses. Hull was six months from earning a degree in Early Childhood Education and was described as beloved by young students.

10:58 AM, 11/26/2025Society
Tragic Loss: 23-Year-Old UT Tyler Student Mauled to Death by Three Dogs While Pet-Sitting

A 23-year-old University of Texas at Tyler student, Madison Riley Hull, was fatally attacked by three dogs while pet sitting at a home in Tyler, Texas, on Nov. 21.

The Smith County Sheriff's Office reported the incident occurred at about 4:15 p.m. Local authorities say the animals involved were pit bulls. Deputies who arrived at the scene found Hull lying in the backyard. When an officer moved to assist her, one of the dogs charged toward him; the deputy fired, killing one animal and frightening the others away, which allowed him to remove Hull from the yard. She was pronounced dead shortly afterward. The deputy sustained minor injuries and was treated at a local hospital.

"I am shattered in a way I didn't know a human being could break," Hull's mother, Jennifer Hubbell, wrote on a fundraiser page. She described her daughter as "beautiful, full of love, full of life, free-spirited" and said Madison had already found her calling in teaching young children.

Hull was six months from completing a bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education at the University of Texas at Tyler. Her mother said Hull was beloved by K–3 students and had a natural gift for working with children. Photos shared by the family show Hull smiling with family and with children, underscoring the close connection she had with her students.

Hubbell created a GoFundMe to help cover funeral and memorial expenses; as of Nov. 25 the fundraiser had raised more than $13,000. A court hearing is scheduled for Nov. 26, when Judge Andy Dunklin is expected to provide an update on the case.

The community has expressed shock and sorrow over the sudden loss. Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the attack.

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