Minnesota: Police say Eric Elwell, 32, beat and tortured Dachshund; charged with animal cruelty

MINNESOTA -- A 32-year-old man has now been charged via warrant after police say he sold a woman’s belongings and abused her dog while she allowed him to live in her basement.

According to the criminal complaint, the woman lived in Florida from December 2015 to March 2016, and during that time she allowed 32-year-old Eric David Elwell to live at her home in Blaine.

When she returned to Minnesota, the woman found that Elwell had sold and attempted to sell many of her items, so she kicked him out of the house. The woman told police that Elwell showed up at her house on March 15 and caused more than $600 worth of damage to her storm door when she refused to let him back in the house.

Police began investigating and learned that Elwell had stolen almost $2,000 worth of items from the woman, according to the criminal complaint. Police say they were able to recover about $616 worth of the items.

Another witness talked to police and said he had seen Elwell abuse one of the family’s dogs that winter. The dog is a Dachshund named Trick.

The witness said Trick had gone to the bathroom inside the house, and Elwell “smacked” the dog on the head several times and then threw it outside in the cold. He said Elwell then brought Trick back inside the house, beat him again and then washed Trick in cold water before throwing him outside in the cold for another 15-20 minutes.

The witness said Elwell was “really high” on meth at the time.

Elwell has been charged with theft, third-degree criminal damage to property and animal cruelty.

If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison and $10,000 in fines on the theft charge; up to one year in prison and $3,000 in fines on the property damage charge; and up to 90 days in prison and $1,000 in fines on the animal cruelty charge.

A warrant for Elwell’s arrest was issued Friday, Oct. 21.

Previous arrests for Eric David Elwell:

DECEMBER 7, 2015
State of Minnesota vs. ERIC DAVID ELWELL
Charge: Financial Transaction Card Fraud-Use-No Consent
https://mss.blueearthcountymn.gov/criminal%20complaints/uploads/9b8732c5-5c95-4e77-b62e-0a319481ccdf.pdf

Arrest Date: 3/4/2016
Location: Anoka, Minnesota
Charge(s):
Financial Transaction Card Fraud-use-no Consent- Gm {609.821.2(1)}

Arrest Date: 8/1/2016
Location: Anoka, Minnesota
Charge(s): Traffic-dl-driving After Cancellation-inimical To Public Safety- Gm {171.24.5}

Date: 10/9/2016
DOB: 3/12/1984
Location: Hennepin, Minnesota
Charge(s): Other Countygm

Date: 11/8/2016
Location: Anoka, Minnesota
Charge(s): Theft-take/use/transfer Movable Prop-no Consent- Fe {609.52.2(a)}

(WDAZ - Oct 26, 2016)