THE DISTRICT

THE DISTRICT

Stolen-Dog Incident Ends Happily

A 92-year-old Northwest Washington man whose dog was stolen Tuesday said yesterday that he feels like he "hit the $50 million lottery" after being reunited with his pet.

Charles E. Boyd celebrated the return of Sparky, a Shih Tzu-poodle mix that has been his companion for about six years, ever since the dog was a puppy. Police believe that two youths ran off with the dog Tuesday evening.

The theft drew widespread media attention, and an unidentified man familiar with the dog and his owner found Sparky on Saturday and returned him at 8:30 that night, D.C. police said. The dog was unharmed. Boyd's niece, Sandra Keys, said that her uncle is "elated" and "finally back to normal" now that Sparky is back home in Columbia Heights.

-- David Betancourt

VIRGINIA

Body Found in Herndon House

A young woman who had suffered trauma was found dead yesterday in a house in the Herndon area of Fairfax County, a county police spokesman said.

The woman was found in the house in the 12700 block of Magna Carta Road by officers responding to a phone call that was received about 4:30 p.m.

The spokesman said the woman had suffered trauma to her upper body but gave no details about the nature or cause of her injury. She was not identified by name, and her age was not given.

The incident took place on a street of detached houses just east of the Fairfax County Parkway and about a mile south of the Dulles Toll Road.