Canada: Nicolino Camardi, convicted of torturing and killing animals, re-arrested

CANADA -- The Calgary man who tortured a dog and kitten and left them to die has been arrested again, and faces new animal-related charges.

Nicolino Camardi is charged with breaching his probation conditions on Wednesday, accused of drinking and living with an animal.

Nicolino Camardi

It's very concerning," said Brad Nichols, the head of the Calgary Humane Society's animal cruelty investigations. "This one is probably more concerning than most given the intentional cruelty inflicted on the animals."

In 2014, Camardi — who was 18 years old at the time of his arrest — pleaded guilty to two charges of animal cruelty after a two-year-old husky and a kitten were found dead in a southeast alley with their muzzles taped shut.

 

A necropsy found the husky died of starvation while the nine-month-old kitten had been strangled and had suffered other injuries to its body.

Camardi abused the animals over a period of two to three months. He got them from a family who was giving them away on Kijiji (a site similar to Craigslist).

Nichols says in his 10 years in animal cruelty investigations, this was the worst case he's ever seen.

"This one on the face of it was a very intentional cruel act for no apparent reason at all," said Nichols. "On a scale of whom you might be most concerned about re-offending, this one ranks up there."

 

Camardi's lawyer, Jack Kelly, asked for leniency at the sentencing hearing, arguing his client was using a "stunning" amount of prescription and illicit drugs and was abusing alcohol at the time of the offences.

22-month sentence

After taking into account the 16 months credit Camardi was awarded for the time he had already served, there was just six months left of the 22-month sentence handed down by a provincial court judge last March.

A former girlfriend of Camardi's told police she witnessed him abusing animals and that he spoke to her about murder and killing humans.

 

That information came out in a court transcript from a hearing in which Camardi's ex-girlfriend was seeking an emergency protection order against him.

It is unclear when he was released, but on Wednesday Camardi was arrested by a peace officer at a home in the northeast community of Temple.

Camardi made a court appearance on Thursday afternoon and will remain in custody. His next appearance is Feb. 4.

(CBC.ca - Jan 28, 2016)

Earlier:

• Dead dog, cat found muzzled in southeast Calgary alley
• Accused animal torturer's girlfriend told police he spoke of killing humans, sought protection order  
• Release sought for accused in animal cruelty cases
• ‘Horrific’ Case Of Animal Torture And Starvation
• Nicolino Camardi, Calgary Man Who Tortured, Killed Dog And Cat Sentenced