AUG. 15 UPDATE: The man accused of shooting and killing the family dog during a domestic dispute appeared in court on Friday morning.
A judge set bail at $20,000 for Russell Kelly.
ORIGINAL STORY
A 42-year-old man has been arrested and a dog is dead after a domestic incident around 1 a.m. Aug. 11 on Sun Palace Court near Interstate 215 and West Cheyenne Avenue.
Police say that Russell Kelly’s wife told them that her husband shot the family dog during an argument about money and a pyramid scheme.
Kelly told police that the dog named Pooka attacked him prior to the shooting. His wife said the dog only nipped him earlier in the evening and that her husband told her that she should be glad she was not the dog after the shooting.
The dog was reportedly lying in her dog bed in a bedroom at the time she was shot. The couple’s son, whom the dog was very attached to, was also in the room.
Kelly reportedly put the dog in a trash bag and left their residence after the shooting, returning a short time later.
After his arrest, Kelly told the police a different story. He said that the dog was only wounded and he used the bag to wrap the dog’s leg. He said he never meant to hurt the dog and never threatened anyone. He also said the dog jumped out of his car after leaving his home.
The dog was found deceased in a nearby park.
Kelly is facing charges of domestic assault firing a weapon inside a structure and torturing or killing an animal. He is scheduled to appear in court on Aug. 14.
