Dog shot to death, set on fire Townville, SC (US) Date: Jul 30, 2003 Disposition: Open Suspect(s) Unknown - We need your help!

Case ID: 1651 Classification: Shooting Animal: dog (non pit-bull) View more cases in SC (US) Login to Watch this Case

Investigators are looking for the person who shot and killed a neighbor's pet and then set it on fire on the evening of Wednesday, July 30, 2003. Anderson County Environmental Enforcement investigators said that they have a suspect, but don't know what could have motivated the person to kill Bart, a 6-year-old German shepherd mix. 

Bart's owner, Ronnie McElroy, said that he still doesn't believe that someone would be cruel enough to kill his dog.

McElroy said that he got Bart about a year ago to be a companion for his other dog, Penny.

He described Bart as a loving and good-natured pet.

"It's still hard to imagine anybody -- even if it was an animal -- could be that cold hearted, to shoot him in cold blood and then throw him on a fire," McElroy told WYFF News 4's Kisha Foster.

McElroy said that neighbors gave him the bad news when he returned home on Wednesday night.

Environmental Enforcement Capt. John Chambers, who is heading the investigation, said that he has never seen an animal cruelty case this extreme.

Chambers said that investigators have a suspect they are waiting to question.

"The act itself -- the simple act of shooting the dog -- is enough," Chambers told News 4. "Then physically removing the dog from the owner's property and taking it to his house to destroy the evidence so to speak, that's what caused us to go with this charge."

Chambers said that investigators intend to prosecute the case as felony animal cruelty because of its severity.

If convicted, the person who killed Bart could face up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

References

The Carolina Channel

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