PICKAWAY COUNTY, OH – A white pit bull nicknamed “Casper the Ghost” was finally captured on Sunday, June 15, 2025, after eight days of evading capture following a serious crash.
The search began anew each morning with sightings reported shortly after sunrise, with the first call on Sunday (June 8th) coming at 8:00 a.m. from Good Samaritan Georgia Nunemacher, who spotted Casper near SR-316 and Gibson Rd started a trail that would last over a week. Despite efforts to respond, Casper vanished again, a pattern repeated throughout the week, most reports coming in from social media posts and from our inbox. Every time dog experts got close, the puppy would disappear.
Professional trapper and RICO Dog Recovery Service volunteer Mark Evans set up a humane live trap at Nunemacher’s home, but it was her later sighting at 4:05 p.m. near New Beginnings Freewill Baptist Church on SR-316 and SR-104 that led to the breakthrough.
Homeowner Nunemacher stayed to observe from a safe distance knowing one wrong move and Casper would disappear again, and with assistance from friend Carmin Hickman, who brought a warm steak dinner as bait, Casper cautiously approached, hungry from his long journey, he couldn’t resist. Then a sudden loud noise spooked him, causing him to dart across SR-104, but he returned to the church lawn guided by hunger. Evans coached Nunemacher to place a noose on Casper while he was distracted by the steak, and after a tense few minutes, she successfully secured him, earning her the moniker “the dog whisperer.”
Casper was taken to a Columbus-area veterinarian for a checkup and has since been released into foster care for observation. Once cleared, he will be available for adoption.
The Scioto Post thanked the community for tips and gave special recognition to RICO Pet Recovery, Peg Leg Aerial Imaging, Pickaway County Sheriff’s Office, and volunteers Ian and Lauren Fausnaugh, Bryce Jacobs, Georgia Nunemacher, and Carmin Hickman for their efforts.
