Middle TN authorities say goodbye to respected K-9 Rowdy

OBION COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — Law enforcement agencies across Tennessee are mourning the loss of a beloved K-9, Rowdy. The 12-year-old bloodhound passed away Tuesday after a battle with cancer.

Rowdy’s handler was Sgt. Stacey Bostwick with the Obion County Sheriff’s Office. Bostwick helped raise and train Rowdy since he was a puppy.

“He’s done so much,” Bostwick said. “The only time we didn’t catch someone was because I didn’t follow his instincts.”

In Rowdy’s many years as a K-9, Bostwick said he helped with more than 50 investigations, including missing person cases and searching for suspects.

For example, Rowdy was involved in the manhunt for Kirby Wallace , who was wanted for two murders in Stewart and Montgomery counties. After a days-long manhunt , Rowdy’s gift of smell helped lead to Wallace’s capture in Stewart County.

“We had been there for days and days and days, but that day was a little different. We had found a scent article that day, a jacket that belonged to Kirby, so we had something to go off this time, so when they spotted him that night, and we took that scent article, it put the same area that they spotted him,” Bostwick explained. “It was a no brainer for Rowdy…we tracked almost all night. Well, the sun was coming up the next day, and then we set up on the field and were able to apprehend him.”

Rowdy’s legacy now lives on through the many people he helped protect.

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Bostwick said he doesn’t plan to train another K-9. Instead, he wants to help mentor future K-9 handlers on how to train their dogs.

Stewart County Sheriff Frankie Gray also highlighted the many times that Rowdy helped his office with cases. He thanked Bostwick for his hard work in training Rowdy.

The bloodhound has been featured on News 2 several times over the course of his tenure, including being named a Hometown Hero.

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