Officers on Monday morning apprehended Ronnie Morrison, 21, of Palestine, one of the suspects in an act of animal cruelty that burned and caused the death of a young puppy on June 20, 2016.
The remaining two male suspects involved in the animal cruelty case are Romello Smith, 21, and Andreas Hicks, 20, who are still wanted on arrest warrants issued for this case.
Detectives have previously identified Perla Miranda Fernandez, 20, Jasmine Warren, 18, and a female minor, all of Athens, Texas as additional suspects in the incident. Warrants were issued for these suspects early on in the case and all three female subjects have already been arrested.
All subjects are being charged with the offense of Cruelty to Non-Livestock Animals, an offense punishable by up to two years confinement and a fine of up to $10,000.
According to arrest documents, Jasmine Cne Warren, 18, and a 17-year-old minor were part of a group of six people who traveled from Athens to Palestine on June 20. The first woman arrested in the case, 20-year-old Perla Miranda Fernandez, was the driver of the car.
Through interviews with the suspects, detectives determined that after arriving in the 700 block of South Street in the early morning of June 20, members of the group dared others to light the puppy on fire.
The involved parties identified both Warren and the minor as members of the group that poured lighter fluid on the puppy and then used a lighter to light the puppy on fire, according to the arrest documents.
Remi died a day later, as infections from the burns ravaged her body.
The arrest documents detail that on June 20, Warren and the minor intentionally, knowingly and recklessly in a cruel manner caused serious bodily injury to a non-livestock animal, to wit: a white female puppy, by setting the puppy on fire.
An eyewitness observed the three men, and Fernandez, Warren and the minor girl standing near a Buick passenger car in front of her residence. The witness observed the license plate number of the Buick. The witness told police the subjects were playing with the puppy.
A short time later, the witness said she heard the puppy in distress. She looked outside and saw the puppy had been set on fire, and the female subjects were looking for water.
The witness told police at that time she could no longer see the male suspects at the location. The suspects left the area in the Buick, which was being driven by Fernandez.
Officers located the puppy a short time later and noted that it had severe burns on its body.
The license plate number matched the Buick and is in Fernandez's name. The witness was shown a photographic lineup and identified Fernandez as being with the puppy when it was burned.
The case has been pursued as a “cruelty to animals” investigation, a state jail felony punishable by up to two years confinement and a fine of up to $10,000. Palestine police investigators are actively pursuing several leads. This incident is still under active investigation.
More Information
The Palestine Police Department is actively trying to locate the other wanted subjects. Any person with information in regards to the suspects, or who may know their whereabouts is encouraged to call the Palestine Police Department at 903-729-2255 or Crimestoppers at 903-729-8477. Tips can also be submitted anonymously by texting PALPD plus the information to 847411.
(Palestine Herald - Jul 26, 2016)
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