Saturday, June 25, 2016

Ohio: Matthew Woodruff, 31, pleads guilty to kicking a cat to death; gets 20 days in county jail

OHIO -- The following pled guilty or were found guilty of crimes between June 13 and June 17:

Matthew Woodruff, 31, of Wilmington, aggravated menacing and animal cruelty, sentenced 20 days jail, assessed $230 court costs.

ORIGINAL STORY (May 26, 2016):

Ohio: After kicking a cat to death, Matthew Woodruff told police the bell on the cat's collar was annoying him

A man was arrested and charged with animal cruelty Thursday morning after police say he killed a pet cat, possibly because the bell around the cat’s neck annoyed him.


Blanchester Police Chief Scott Reinbolt said that on Monday evening, May 23, police were called to a home in the 100 block of North Wright Street where Robert Dillinger, 48, of that address reported someone killed his pet cat while he was away from the house.

The responding officer found the cat to be dead, and evidence indicated it had been kicked repeatedly and violently inside the house, Reinbolt said.

Dillinger stated he had a house guest who was alone with the cat at the time of its demise, Reinbolt said, and that person was identified as Matthew Woodruff, 31, who is homeless. Witnesses were interviewed who implicated Woodruff as being responsible for the crime, Reinbolt said.

On Thursday an officer located Woodruff in Blanchester, and arrested and charged him with animal cruelty, a misdemeanor offense, Reinbolt said.

The investigating officer was not able to establish why Woodruff killed the car, although “Woodruff commented that the bell around the cat’s neck annoyed him and made a comment to officers indicating he is a user of illegal narcotics,” Reinbolt said.

“Woodruff has an extensive criminal record dating back to 2006, including arrests for contempt of court and violating probation as well as convictions for unlawful restraint, domestic violence and non-support of dependents,” Reinbolt said.

Woodruff was taken to the Clinton County Jail, where he will be held pending an appearance in Clinton County Municipal Court.

(Wilmington News Journal - June 24, 2016)