Suffolk County Police arrested a Brentwood man for killing a dog and threatening a family member.
A 23-year-old man found a Chihuahua on May 9 that had escaped from its Central Islip home. After keeping the dog for nearly a month, the man contacted a family member via FaceTime on June 1 and strangled the dog, killing it, while threatening his family member during the video call. Third Squad detectives investigated and determined the dog’s remains were discarded. Detectives with the assistance of officers from Third Precinct Crime Section recovered the remains at a waste transfer facility in Holbrook on June 4. A necropsy will be performed.
The man, 23, of Brentwood, was charged with Aggravated Cruelty to Animals and Aggravated Harassment 2nd Degree. The man was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital for evaluation.
The SPCA assisted in the investigation.