Man being investigated for animal cruelty arrested after beating reporter who is covering story

WEST VIRGINIA -- State Police arrested Howard Lilly for allegedly attacking reporter Bob Aaron while filming a story [about possible animal cruelty] Monday in Clay County.

Lilly is charged with destruction of property, grand larceny and malicious wounding.

He is being held on a $25,000 property or cash bond.

State Police say Lilly confessed to attacking Aaron and say he was remorseful and tearful.

[Is he "remorseful and tearful" for abusing/neglecting his animals? If he were innocent, why not invite the reporter onto your property to see how healthy and happy and well-cared for your animals are? Guilty people have something to hide and react this way.]

Aaron was taken to the hospital as a precaution but is doing well. He has deep tissue bruising but no broken bones.

EARLIER:
Working alone on a story about possible animal abuse in Clay County, Eyewitness News reporter Bob Aaron is attacked while shooting video while standing on a public road.

"He came up off of his property onto the roadway," Aaron said. "And before we could have much of a conversation further about it he came at me grabbed the tripod and starting hitting me with it. He broke the camera lens and gave me a couple of pretty good shots before we left."

Bob sustained injuries to his leg and finger. His tripod was taken by the attacker and his camera was destroyed. Bob went to a local hospital as a precautionary measure but his injuries did not appear to be serious.

"I can't believe this is happening," Aaron said. "I think I might even know this guy maybe from mules or someplace in the past. And he kind of just went crazy there for a minute. And then he wouldn't return the tripod. He said I'm keeping it and he went back onto his property."

Bob said he did not get close enough to the horses and mules to see if they were in distress.

Eyewitness News will follow up on that part of the story to make sure they are being properly cared for.

"No question I had the right to be there but sometimes people don't understand that," Aaron said.
"That you do on public property. They don't want themselves photographed. They don't want their residence photographed. They don't want something photographed and that's the reaction you get out of them."

The Clay County detachment of the West Virginia State Police is working on the case. Eyewitness News has been told a warrant will be issued and that an arrest is expected.

(WCHSTV - Jul 8, 2014)