New Hampshire: Dale Johnson is accused of taking his ex-girlfriend's cats and, one by one, strangling them to death

NEW HAMPSHIRE -- A Keene man faces two felony animal cruelty charges after allegedly killing his then-girlfriend’s two cats and then dumping their small bodies in the woods.

Keene police arrested city resident Dale Adam Johnson, 21, Saturday.

The alleged incident occurred Jan. 4 at a home on Mechanic Street that Johnson shared with his then-girlfriend, Shannon Fitzpatrick, 22, according to Keene police Sgt. James A. Cemorelis.

Johnson and Fitzpatrick had an argument Jan. 5, at which time she realized the cats, Bo and Honey, were missing, Cemorelis said.

According to a police report, Johnson admitted to Fitzpatrick that he had strangled the cats, Cemorelis said, adding that Johnson admitted it again when questioned by police.

Cemorelis said it looks like the cats “were disposed of in the woods,” but police weren’t able to locate them.

Fitzpatrick’s father, Keene resident Richard Fitzpatrick, 47, called police on Jan. 6 to report the incident, according to Cemorelis.

Johnson was released on $10,000 personal recognizance bail, and is scheduled to be arraigned Feb. 2 in Cheshire County Superior Court.

(Keene Sentinel - Jan 16, 2017)