Florida Man Faces Charges After Discovering Headless Body of His Dog
According to the sheriff’s office, at around 6:45 p.m. on May 14, PCSO deputies were called in regarding a “deceased dog wrapped in a plastic bag” in the vicinity of East Beach at Fort De Soto Park.
Details of the Incident
According to the local sheriff’s office, a Florida man is facing charges after discovering the headless body of his bulldog mix called Dexter at a local park only days after adopting the dog.
In a statement, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) stated that Dexter’s owner, Domingo R. Rodriguez, was taken into custody soon after the dog’s death last week in a park in Pinellas County. Rodriguez, 66, of St. Petersburg, is accused of one offense of second-degree misdemeanor and one count of third-degree felony animal cruelty. He was released from Pinellas County Jail on May 15 after posting a $5,000 bail.
He adopted the 4-year-old bulldog mix from Pinellas County Animal Services on May 10, according to PCSO. Rodriguez was recognized as Dexter’s owner by the dog’s microchip.
Discovery and Confession
According to the sheriff’s office, at around 6:45 p.m. on May 14, PCSO deputies were called in regarding a “deceased dog wrapped in a plastic bag” in the vicinity of East Beach at Fort De Soto Park.
“When deputies arrived, they located a male bulldog mix with its head decapitated, floating in the mangroves,” claimed the PCSO. Rodriguez admitted to deputies that he had recently adopted Dexter during their conversation at his house. “Dexter must have run away overnight on May 10,” he told detectives, according to the sheriff’s office. According to PCSO, Rodriguez confessed that he visited Fort Desoto Park on May 11 and “provided deputies several inconsistent statements.”
Investigation and Motive
According to the arrest report, Rodriguez’s wife told authorities that Dexter was still alive when she went to bed on May 10 but that her husband and the dog had vanished when she woke up the next morning. Though the motive behind Rodriguez’s action is unclear, the sheriff’s office said that the investigation is still ongoing.