Deputies said they got a call to the River Oaks community southeast of Eufaula on January 18. The caller said there was a dog with extensive injuries.
Deputy Kevin Branscum arrived on scene and saw a dog inside a dog house behind the house of Jordan Smith. He said the dog was alive but had obvious major injuries to the head and back of the neck and was covered in blood.
The deputy stated in his affidavit that Smith told him he attempted to kill the dog by stabbing it in the neck with a knife, but when that failed, he retrieved a hammer and struck the canine in the head approximately 10 times before leaving it to die.
"They don't really come out of their house much," neighbor Amber Mortensen said.
When we told Mortensen what investigators told us happened she was shocked.
"I personally don't know him as a person. I mean and I would hate to put judgment on him, but something needs to happen I believe," Mortensen said.
Other neighbors are standing by Smith. They wouldn't speak on camera but said Smith tried to kill the dog because it attacked Smith's puppy.
We asked Branscum about that. In an email, Branscum said Smith did say the dog hurt his puppy but that he didn't see it happen.
Branscum said in this case, this is not a self-defense act, because Smith was not actively trying to protect his puppy. Investigators said it was a cruel and unusual attempt to put down a dog.
Hope Haven Animal Rescue was contacted and transported the dog to Glover Veterinary Clinic before it had to be euthanized due to the extensive major injuries.
Smith is being held at the McIntosh County Criminal Justice Center on one count of animal cruelty, and a bond set at$50,000. Smith is do in court for an initial appearance on on January 21.
A family friend told FOX23 the dog was not Smith's and that animal control had been called several times to pick the dog up.
(News On 6 - Jan 20, 2015)
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