Stephen “Matt” Crooms (Matt Crooms, Stephen Crooms) has pleaded not guilty in Burke County Superior Court. He waived his right to jury trial and opted for a bench trial in front of Judge J. David Roper. He faces six counts of aggravated cruelty to animals, which are felony crimes, and one count of misdemeanor cruelty to animals.
Sturkie, who owns several hunting dogs, testified Monday that four of the dogs were in separate horse stalls inside the barn. Each had been shut inside the stalls. One dog’s body was found in a hole Sturkie said looked as if the dog had dug in an attempt to escape. He didn’t see any bowls for food and water or any evidence there had been food or water provided, Sturkie testified.
He also noticed there wasn’t much feces in the stalls, indicating the dogs hadn’t had much to eat.
The four dogs inside the barn each had a collar with Crooms’ name and phone number, Sturkie testified. A fifth dog found on the outside of the barn did not have a collar.
Burke County Sheriff Investigator Gene Boseman testified he was called to the scene on Dec. 17, 2014. No one answered the door at Crooms’ home that day nor the next two times he tried to contact him. The number on the dog collars was no longer in service.
On Jan. 8, 2015, Boseman was called out again to the Crooms’ property. This time he found four live dogs and a dead one inside a 10 by 10 pen behind Crooms’ home, Boseman testified. There was no food or shelter in the pen and only about a pint of water.
“You could count the ribs in their sides,” Boseman said. He divided up the rest of leftover lunch from Popeyes for the dogs, who he had to keep from fighting each other for the tidbits.
Boseman noted that the dead dog had a bite on his chest as if one of the other dogs attempted to eat it, Boseman testified.
He finally reached Crooms after going to where his mother worked. She called her son on her cell. Crooms didn’t mention anyone who was supposed to feed the dogs while he was out of state on a duck hunting trip, Boseman testified.
On cross-examination, Boseman said he didn’t remove the dead dogs or take the live ones from Crooms’ home. Boseman conceded that in January it was near the end of the deer hunting season and the dogs could have become lean from running after deer.
Testimony continues Tuesday .
(Augusta chronicle - Nov 7, 2016)
Earlier:
- STARVED: Six dead dogs lead to arrest of Stephen Matthew Crooms
- Community speaks out after charges upgraded in animal cruelty case
- Man, Stephen Crooms, facing animal cruelty charges in Burke Co., now facing charges in another county
- Georgia: Burke County Animal Cruelty Suspect, Stephen Crooms, Now Facing Fraud Charges In Columbia County
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