What was this little thing, Newt, Salamander, Mud Puppy?

[PineBurrowPeeps]

I just found a really cute and beautiful looking but sadly, deceased little creature out near where my hose is and it's wet and lightly muddy.
It's about 5" long from nose to tip of tail, and solid black with two rows of white spots, each row starting at the eye and joining in a single row down the tail.
Poor little thing

Who knows what it died from, it's body is completely intact.
Does anyone have any idea what it was? I've never seen one before. And no I haven't touched it with bare hands, ick

 

[ksacres]

Sounds like a salamander from your description.

 

[Epona142]

Was it a marbled salamander?

http://www.uri.edu/cels/nrs/paton/LH_marbled_sal.html

Or perhaps something else.

http://www.uri.edu/cels/nrs/paton/amphibs.html

 

[birdsofparadise]

Sounds like a newt to me. In late Fall, they look for soft, moist dirt to bury into to hibernate for the winter. My raised daffodil bed was always a favorite. This poor guy probably didnʻt find a place to bed down before the dropping temps got him one night.