Man accused in cat's death threatens to kill animal-control officer, police say

ARKANSAS -- A Pulaski County man who is accused of killing a kitten is facing new charges after he told his uncle he was going to kill the animal control official who worked on the original case, the Pulaski County sheriff's office said.

Matthew Maul, 34, was arrested Thursday on terroristic threatening and drug charges.

According to sheriff's office reports, Maul's uncle in February reported that Maul had recently been released from incarceration, was "very agitated" and said he was "going to drive to Wye Mountain and kill" Little Rock Animal Village Director Tracy Roark.

"[The uncle] also advised that Mr. Maul stated that he was going to also kill any law enforcement officers who stood in his way," Deputy Gary Smith wrote in the report. "According to [the uncle], Mr. Maul stated that after he killed Mr. Roark, he was just going to 'hunker' down in his apartment and shoot it out with police."

The uncle noted he saw ammunition in Maul's home, including some with "names on the rounds for people [Maul} planned on killing."

Authorities on Thursday went to Maul's apartment on Ferndale Cutoff Road. He was arrested there on the warrant for terroristic threatening as well as one count of possession of methamphetamine and four counts of possession of drug paraphernalia. The arresting deputy reported finding multiple glass pipes in the home as well as a container with suspected methamphetamine in it.

Maul was arrested in October 2013 after a neighbor found a dead kitten with duct tape on its paws on his doorstep. The neighbor's boyfriend reported seeing Maul throw the kitten's body over a railing.

In August, Maul's trial was delayed in a deal that would have him avoiding a felony animal-cruelty conviction if he sought mental health treatment, submitted to drug testing, avoided having pets, kept out of trouble and stayed away from the neighbor and Roark. He was released from jail, though court records show his bond was revoked in late November. The reason wasn't immediately known.

Maul remained in the Pulaski County jail Friday morning on the new charges with a preliminary court date set that day.

(Arkansas Online - March 13, 2015)

Matthew Jennings Maul
Pulaski County
Booking id: pulaski-4871-15
Booking date: March 12, 2015
Suspect id: 151538
Gender: Male
Race: White
Age: 34

Charges: Failure To Comply ◾Agency: Pulaski County Sheriff's office
◾Bond: No Bond
Poss Ctrl Subst Sch I,ii ◾Agency: Pulaski County Sheriff's office
◾Bond: No Bond
Poss/use Of Drug Paraphernalia To Manf Meth ◾Agency: Pulaski County Sheriff's office
◾Bond: 28,000.00
Poss/use Of Drug Paraphernalia To Manf Meth ◾Agency: Pulaski County Sheriff's office
◾Bond: No Bond
Terroristic Threatening 2nd Degree (arrest Date After 8-13-93) ◾Agency: Pulaski County Sheriff's office
◾Bond: 2,000.00