Steve Helber / AP

State and federal officials carry out coolers of evidence to a truck as they search the grounds behind the home owned by Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick on Friday.

Located in southeast Virginia, the expansive property has a metal gate at the entrance and a white plastic fence around the perimeter. The fence and a large two-story building painted black behind the home obscured the work of investigators.

More than 15 vehicles were on the property, including the rental truck and at least one Virginia State Police evidence collection truck.

Corinne Geller, a spokeswoman for the Virginia State Police, said state authorities were working with federal investigators in an “assistance capacity.”

Vick has said he rarely visited the property. No charges have been filed.

During an April 25 raid at the property, about half the dogs were tethered to car axles with heavy chains that allowed them to get close to each other, but not to have contact, an arrangement typical for fighting dogs, according to an affidavit.

Later, Surry County officials secured a search warrant based on an informant’s information about dogs being buried on the property, but never acted on it because prosecutor Gerald G. Poindexter said he had concerns with the wording of the document.

On June 7, the day that warrant expired, federal officials executed their own with the help of state police investigators.

Poindexter publicly questioned the federal government’s interest in a dogfighting case. He suggested Vick’s celebrity was the draw and raised race as a possible motivation. Poindexter and Vick are black, as is Sheriff Harold Brown.

Poindexter, on vacation in Louisiana, said by telephone he was unaware of Friday’s search and was still pursuing what he called a parallel investigation. He said he assumed Surry County and federal officials eventually will share their evidence.

Vick initially said he had no idea the property might have been used in a criminal enterprise and blamed family members for taking advantage of his generosity. He also put the house up for sale and reportedly sold it quickly, although there is no record that the sale has closed. Vick has since declined to talk about the investigation.

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