Dogs may hold clue to man's fatal beating A MAN found savagely beaten to death in his NSW home had previously fallen foul of the law for setting his pit bulls on people. The body of Scott Hammond, 48, was found just before 10pm (AEST) on Monday in the living room of his Ibbotson Street home, at Tahmoor, southwest of Sydney. On Tuesday at least two large dogs were removed from Mr Hammond's home and police hope they will find DNA from his attacker on the animals. He pleaded guilty 12 months ago to using his pit bull terriers, Chocka and Girlie, to attack and wound a teenage boy and three men in three separate incidents at Tahmoor. He was handed a seven-month suspended sentence, ordered to pay $14,336 and destroy both dogs. Hammond was also banned from owning a dog. He lived alone in the dilapidated home and was well-known to police but does not appear to have any outlaw motorcycle gang connections. Officers located his body after a concerned friend contacted police. Detectives are trying to establish the events leading to Mr Hammond's death but they estimate he was murdered some time on Monday. A post-mortem examination will be carried out on Tuesday but the likely cause of death was "a severe beating," a senior police source told AAP. Police are still searching for a murder weapon and are trying to determine if the killer broke in before the assault began. The wildlife rescue organisation WIRES has been called in to remove a number of animals and police seized the dogs. "He had a bit of a variety of different wildlife," Acting Superintendent Danny Doherty told AAP. Detectives have yet to establish if the dogs defended their owner, if they were injured during the murder or if any forensic evidence, such as DNA, was transferred to the animals during the attack. Police have yet to identify any potential persons of interest. They have interviewed neighbours and will make a public appeal later on Tuesday. "It's a concern that a person's been killed in this manner," Acting Supt Danny Doherty said. We're hoping someone in the community would know who it is.