Arizona: Ricardo Benitez, 25, charged with animal cruelty

ARIZONA  -- Other than the arrest information, I couldn't find anything else about this case.

Full Name: Ricardo Leon Benitez
Gender: Male
Race: Hispanic
Birthdate: 12/11/1990
Height: 5'08"
Weight: 185 lbs
Hair: black
Eyes: brown
Age at arrest: 25
Date of arrest: 07/02/2016
Arresting agency: Maricopa County
Charge:

• ANIMAL-RECKLESS CRUEL MISTREAT (ANIMAL CRUELTY)

Arizona: Adrian Montano, 42, left his Chihuahuas to roast in the heat

ARIZONA -- A dog owner was arrested after four Chihuahuas were found barely alive, suffering from dehydration and starvation Tuesday in an abandoned building in Phoenix, according to an Arizona Humane Society spokeswoman.

At about 9 a.m., Phoenix police called emergency-medical technicians from the Humane Society to the 1900 block of West Indian School Road, where they found a 4-year-old Chihuahua lying motionless in a dilapidated chicken coop, said Humane Society spokeswoman Ashliegh Goebel.

A passer-by called 911 at about 6:45 a.m. after noticing the dogs and becoming concerned for the animals' welfare, a Phoenix police spokeswoman said.

According to police, 42-year-old Adrian Montano admitting to owning the dogs and said he put the Chihuahua in the coop and forgot to feed him.

Phoenix police Sgt. Mercedes Fortune said Montano appeared to be homeless and was living in the building where the dogs were found. She said he faces four felony counts of animal cruelty and neglect.

"It's a very serious crime," Fortune said. "It's taken very serious. We want to make sure the public is taking care of their animals."

Humane Society EMTs on the scene said they were shocked by the state of the dogs.

“I’ve never seen such a small and innocent dog suffer in such horrible agony,” EMT Valerie Newman said.

After examining the dog from the coop, a trauma team found he was so weak he could barely stand or walk and was unable to keep his head up on his own. The dog’s breathing was labored and slow, and he was “extremely” lethargic, suffering from a high fever, according to a Humane Society statement.

Goebel said the dog showed signs of brain damage consistent with distemper, a deadly virus that affects non-vaccinated dogs and has no cure.

The first dog found was later euthanized, she said.

“It’s frustrating,” Goebel said. “Even though we have the police on our side, it’s not enough.”

No food or water for the animals was found at the scene, she said. Three other Chihuahuas of the same age were found roaming around the property.

EMTs gave water to the dogs, which they drank continuously, Goebel said.

“They just kept drinking and drinking,” she said.

She said the dogs were being kept in isolation at the Humane Society’s Second Chance Animal Trauma Hospital, where the first dog was put to sleep. Blood samples and mouth swabs of the three surviving dogs were sent to the lab to be tested for distemper, Goebel said.

If the tests come back positive, the other three will be put to sleep as well. If negative, the dogs will be evaluated for adoption, Goebel said.

Officers arrested the owner of the dogs at the scene, Goebel said. Phoenix police are continuing to investigate the case.

 

 

(AZ Central - July 13, 2016)

Arkansas: Police say Robert Cheeter murdered his cousin and then starved his own pit bulls to death

ARKANSAS -- A Little Rock man accused of fatally shooting his cousin Jan. 1 during a feud over car repairs pleaded innocent Monday.

Robert Lee Cheeter Jr., 28, faces a charge of first-degree murder in the death of Terry Jones, 32.

Police arrested Cheeter in Pine Bluff on Saturday, about two weeks after Little Rock police named him a suspect in the killing.

Little Rock District Judge Alice Lightle on Monday set Cheeter's bail at $250,000.

Police reportedly found Jones shot about 8 p.m. Jan. 1 inside a vehicle at 523 E. 23rd St., one of several home addresses listed for Cheeter. Jones was taken to UAMS Medical Center, where he died from his injuries. An autopsy later showed Jones had been shot seven times, mostly in the head, according to a court affidavit.

Several people, including Jones' brother, Arlin, told investigators that Cheeter and Jones were cousins and they had been feuding since the two had a physical fight in late 2015, the affidavit states. Cheeter pulled a gun on Jones at one point during the feud, and Jones retaliated by shooting Cheeter's car. Jones later refused to pay for repairs.

Witnesses said Cheeter confronted then shot Jones over the repairs the evening of Jan. 1, according to the affidavit. But those witnesses each declined to provide a formal statement to police.

Cheeter said he was at his girlfriend's apartment across town when the shooting occurred, and his girlfriend backed up his account, police reported.

Police detective Steve Moore wrote in the court filing that in the months after Jones' death, investigators "received information on several occasions" that Cheeter had killed Jones over the car repairs. Moore wrote that some information came from an anonymous tip.

"The subject said that he [witnessed] the shooting and Robert Cheeter was the person who shot Jones," Moore wrote. "Cheeter walked up to the car and asked Jones if he had his money, and Jones told him it was 2016 and he wasn't worried about that. Cheeter then pointed a gun into the car and shot several times."

It wasn't until a separate shooting June 20 that police found someone willing to go on the record in the slaying. That's when Shamecca Johnson, 31, was shot at the Berkley Apartments at 1601 N. Shackleford Road.

Johnson initially told police she'd been leaving a friend's apartment when a man she didn't know shot her, according to a court affidavit. But later, in a statement to police, she said she'd been playing cards with Cheeter and his girlfriend, Latasha Smith, 26.

"Johnson said Cheeter was bragging about shooting Terry Jones and she made a comment that she could have recorded him," the affidavit states. "He got upset and threatened to kill her like he did Jones ... She tried to leave the residence and he struck her and pushed her into a wall. She was able to get away and as she left the residence he shot her."

Investigators found one .380-caliber shell casing at the scene. Police said shell casings of the same caliber were found at the scene of Jones' killing, which was the first homicide of the year in Little Rock.

Johnson also reportedly said that Smith "admitted that she covered for Cheeter and gave him an alibi for the homicide," according to the affidavit.

No charges had been filed against Smith.

In addition to the murder count, Cheeter faces a charge of first-degree battery in the shooting of Johnson. 

He was also being held on two counts of aggravated animal cruelty. Police reportedly found two dead pit bulls, badly decomposed, in his backyard in February.
\
Cheeter's next court date was set for Sept. 19.

ARREST INFORMATION:
Full Name: Robert Lee Cheeter, Jr.
Arrest Age: 28
Gender: Male
Race: Black
Block: 500 E 22nd St, Little Rock, Arkansas 72206
Date of arrest: 07/16/2016
Arresting Agency: LITTLE ROCK POLICE DEPARTMENT
Charges:

1. MURDER - 1ST DEGREE
2. BATTERY - 1ST DEGREE
3. CRUELTY TO ANIMALS

(Arkansas Online - July 19, 2016)

Arkansas: Mary Brown, 56, charged with two counts of felony animal cruelty

ARKANSAS  -- Other than the arrest information, I couldn't find anything else about this case.

Full Name: Mary A. Brown
Address Block: 500 E 22nd St, Little Rock, Arkansas 72206
Arrest Age: 56
Gender: Female
Race: Black
Date of arrest: 07/27/2016
Arresting Agency: LITTLE ROCK POLICE DEPARTMENT (PULASKI COUNTY)
Total Bond: $10,000
Charges:

1. AGGRAVATED CRUELTY TO ANIMALS
2. AGGRAVATED CRUELTY TO ANIMALS

Tennessee: Tommy Barkley, 35, Apprehended By K-9 After Being Issued Animal Cruelty Citation

TENNESSEE -- Tommy Lee Barkley, 35, was apprehended by a K-9 Unit after fleeing his residence where McKamey Animal Services attempted to issue him a citation regarding his mistreated dogs, police said.

Officers said they arrived at 2901 Curtis St. on Thursday to assist McKamey Services in issuing the defendant a citation. McKamey Services told officers that they had been threatened by the defendant in the past.

Upon arrival, police said Barkley refused to give his real name, saying he didn’t believe in IDs, and then denied his identity when confronted. Officers said he went into his home and began yelling derogatory things out his window when they tried to issue the citation.

ARREST INFORMATION:
Full Name: Tommy Lee Barkley
Date of arrest: 07/29/2016
Arresting Agency: Chattanooga Police, TN
Arrest Age: 35
Gender: Male
Race: Black
Date of Birth: 11/04/1980
Address Block: 2900 Curtis St, Chattanooga, Tennessee 37406
Charges:

1. CRIMINAL IMPERSONATION
2. DISORDERLY CONDUCT
3. RETALIATION AGAINST JUDGE, JUROR, OFFICER
4. EVADING ARREST
5. RESISTING ARREST OR OBSTRUCTION OF LEGAL PROCESS
6. CRUELTY TO ANIMALS

(The Chattanoogan - July 29, 2016)

Tennessee: Andrew Antone, 24, charged with animal cruelty after dog dies, another rescued

TENNESSEE -- A Lebanon man charged with felony animal cruelty says he loved his dogs and didn’t abuse them as alleged.

Lebanon Animal Control received a call Tuesday of a dead dog in the man’s yard.

When they arrived, they found one dead German Shepherd and rescued another second one.

Andrew Antone is just out of jail after being charged with felony aggravated animal cruelty and told News 2 he didn’t abuse his dogs.

Animal Control officers came to his home where they found a German Shepherd hungry and without water.

 

They told News 2 the other dog had been dead for several days and was already beginning to decompose.

“I had that dog since I was 12. Took care of it since I was 12 I’m usually a calm person. I am so stressed out. My hands are shaking for two days. I feel sick with what is going on with me right now,” Antone said.

 

The 24-year-old suspect told News 2 he loved his dogs, but admitted he was gone for much of the Fourth of July weekend, checking back in to feed and water the animals.

He said the dog found dead was 15 and in bad health.

“What happened is, I was gone most of the weekend I will admit that I was not paying attention in the cage. 

"I know my dog was alive Friday, I fed them, he did eat Friday, was out most of the weekend, and the only time I came in was to stop and feed them, they say I malnourished them and what not,” he told News 2. “It slipped me, it was a human mistake. I didn’t abuse that dog, or mistreat that dog and they got fed. I don’t know what else they want from me.”

Antone said he is due in court on August 2. He said he has never been in trouble with the law.

The surviving dog will be held until the case is adjudicated, then possibly put up for adoption.

(WKRN - July 6, 2016)

Tennessee: Edward and Marcine Bubb charged with animal cruelty after leaving animals inside hot camper for days while they stayed in air-conditioned motel(!)

TENNESSEE -- A Dickson couple is charged with felony animal cruelty after they allegedly left several animals alone in a tiny camper with no food, water or air conditioning for days.

An anonymous tip led Dickson police to the Koa Campground early Thursday where they found a trailer owned by Edward and Marcine Bubb.

Investigators found several scared dogs inside the filthy Winnebago.

One dog was photographed pacing on the dashboard of the vehicle and another dog poked its head through a hole in the door.

Another animal was documented standing in a space filled with excrement.

Investigators told News 2 they found three dogs and two cats inside the trailer. They alleged that the animals were in this tiny camper for four days without air conditioning, food or water.

“They stay gone a lot. They love their animals but have too many to take care of and they should have stayed home more and walked animals more than party,” said a campground resident who knows the Bubbs and spoke to News 2 on the condition of anonymity.

Investigators say the Bubbs were located at a nearby motel where they reportedly were staying with two other dogs.

 

Edward Bubb disputes the claim that the dogs were in deplorable conditions.

“My wife came home every night made sure they had food and water, we were in walking distance to the house,” said Edward Bubb.

Police arrested the couple and charged them with felony animal cruelty.

In all, five dogs and one cat are now in protective custody at the local animal shelter.

“Animal control has been called numerous times and owner of the place has spoken to them numerous times but they ignore people giving them advice so the best action was taken,” said the couple’s campground neighbor.

“The dogs were abandoned. The dogs were there four days, they had no supervision, no food, no water, and that is when the investigations started. It was deplorable. No circulating air. The air conditioning was hooked up but no air was on. There was no fan. It was hot and stench was unbearable,” said Dickson police public information officer, David Cole.

The animals will be kept at the shelter until a judge rules on the case, at which time the dogs could be put up for adoption.

(WATE - July 30, 2016)