LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — More information is coming to light about a Las Vegas couple that has been accused of abusing and hoarding nearly 200 animals.
New documents from Clark County are revealing that complaints regarding 79-year-old Timothy Miller and 73-year-old Carolyn Luke go back as far as February 1.
Boulder City, Clark County, and Las Vegas authorities have searched a home, vehicle, and hotel room that were linked to the couple. Between the three locations, law enforcement seized 194 animals. Investigators said 128 of the animals were alive and 66 were dead.
Here's what we know.
WARNING: Some of the details in this story may be disturbing for some readers.
Clark County Animal Protection Services - February 1 at 3:31 p.m.
An anonymous caller reported a person who lives in the 9000 block of King Bird Court, near Fort Apache Road and Twain Avenue, had 10 puppies, 30 guinea pigs, and had stopped by several pet shops to purchase even more animals. The report states the caller told Animal Protection Services that they were concerned the person, later identified as Luke, was an animal hoarder.
Animal Protection Services records state they tried to contact Luke multiple times between February 1 and March 6.
Clark County Animal Protection Services - March 12 at 6:25 p.m.
Records state Luke provided veterinary paperwork for three dogs.
Clark County Animal Protection Services - March 26 at 2 p.m.
Two officers from Animal Protection Services arrived at Luke's home, advised her of complaints against her, and stated they needed to verify that she only had the three dogs she submitted paperwork for. Luke told them that in addition to her three dogs, her fiancée had four dogs that go back and forth to California and were only in Las Vegas for occasional visits.
When she was asked whether she owned any guinea pigs, she stated she only had four and then told officers that she gave those guinea pigs to a friend. Officers reported a "strong smell of urine" was coming from the home.
Records stated Luke would not allow officers into her home to check on the animals.
Clark County Animal Protection Services - March 27 at 7:33 a.m.
Officers went back to Luke's home and stated she "seemed disturbed and confused" and asked officers who is calling and complaining about her and her animals. When officers requested to see the dogs on her property, Luke "claimed her and her fiancée had an appointment at 7:30".
Officers told her they could quickly verify the number of animals on her property but she claimed "it is not a good time" and that she would be home around 3 p.m. According to a report, officers smelled a "strong odor smell coming from her clothes."
Clark County Animal Protection Services - March 28 at 7:52 a.m.
According to CCAPS records, officers called Luke who said she would not be available that day but that officers could meet her the next day. Records state she told officers she was "upset and shocked from the allegations being made."
She also said she spoke to her attorney and asked how she could get more information on who called. She was advised that she would have to call dispatch to get more information.
Clark County Animal Protection Services - March 29 at 3:38 p.m.
Officers returned to Luke's home and she asked to reschedule for another day since she and her fiancée "needed to leave." While one officer was speaking to Luke, another officer tried to look into their SUV and stated he could only see clear containers, a black suitcase, some animal carriers, and he was unable to see if there were any animals in the carriers.
The report states Luke and Miller "smelled strongly of ammonia and their clothes were dirty and appeared to have dried urine and possibly feces on it." It adds Miller had blood all over his hand. The couple declined to let officers into the home but agreed to bring three dogs out to see the officers.
According to a report, the dogs were "urine stained and their fur appeared to be pulling at the skin from the urine causing matting". When officers asked the couple why they were in that condition, Luke stated "they sometimes have to put them in a pen when they are not home." As officers continued asking to be let into the home, Luke refused. The report states officers could not go into the home without the owner's permission if they didn't have a warrant.
Boulder City Traffic Stop - March 29 at 4:26 p.m.
According to an arrest report, Boulder City police received a call from a person working with an animal advocate group who said she was following a Ford SUV that might have multiple animals in the back of the vehicle. She also told police she believed they were guinea pigs and that some of them could be dead.
An officer pulled the couple over and reported he saw several chunks of fur in the center console of the vehicle and he smelled animal feces. The officer said he saw black animal carriers inside of clear plastic storage totes and asked the couple if they had any guinea pigs. When they said yes, the officer asked them how many there were and Luke said 20. The officer then asked if any of them were dead and Luke said none.
Officers searched the vehicle and found seven pet carriers that contained 51 animals. The report states 40 animals were alive, including guinea pigs and rabbits, and that officers also found 11 dead guinea pigs.
Luke and Miller were transported to the Henderson Detention Center and booked on several charges, including torturing and/or injuring animals. The couple also admitted they had multiple animals at a valley hotel and at their home.
Las Vegas Hotel Room Search - March 29 at 7:24 p.m.
Animal Control received a phone call about a potential animal hoarding case at a hotel in the 9000 block of Sahara Avenue. An anonymous caller told the department she had followed the potential suspect into Boulder City and that Boulder City police had stopped the vehicle, arrested Miller and Luke, and pulled at least 30 guinea pigs out of the vehicle.
Animal Control called LVMPD to assist at the hotel room. Hotel staff told police the couple had been evicted from their room due to all the animal complaints, including their "quantity of animals" and a "smell of death from the room."
When officers went into the hotel room, they reported seeing multiple soft kennels with dogs, guinea pigs, a rabbit, and several dead dogs. There was also one dog that had been confined to a bathroom. Officers reported a "pungent odor" in the room, the floor was sticky, and the bed was covered in smeared feces.
Overall, 75 total animals were recovered from the hotel room. That included one dead guinea pig and 12 dead dogs. Of the live animals, officers found 38 guinea pigs, 21 dogs, two hamsters, and one rabbit.
After being taken to a local shelter, veterinarians reported the majority of the dogs were matted with urine and feces in their fur and the animals had a strong smell coming off of them. They added most appeared to be underweight.
When the animals were given food and water, officers reported most of the dogs "immediately went to the water bowls and drank for [a long time]. Some ate food immediately as if they had not had any in some time."
The report states most of the guinea pigs were of good weight but 12 were underweight, the rabbit was of good weight, and the hamsters appeared to be in good condition. The rabbit had no food or water while the hamsters had water but it "was hard to see any food", and the guinea pigs had food in the bottom of the soft carriers but no water.
Las Vegas Home Search - March 30 at 4:34 a.m.
Clark County Animal Protection Services received a call from LVMPD to serve a warrant to remove animals from Luke's home on March 30. Photos, as well as the report, indicate the home was cluttered.
"The living room was unusable, had a very small walkway to the kitchen. The dining room had several bird cages and pens. The family room was cluttered and unusable," the report reads in part. "The bedrooms had an overpowering smell of ammonia. There were several cages soiled in feces and urine."
Officers found several dead animals in a freezer.
According to the report, officers recovered 26 live animals, which included three dogs, two rabbits, six birds, nine hamsters, and six tortoises, as well as 42 dead animals, including 30 guinea pigs, four hamsters, four tortoises, and four dogs.
The report states the sick animals were taken to the Animal Emergency Center to be treated and the remaining animals were taken to The Animal Foundation.
What happens next?
Miller and Luke appeared in court at the Boulder City Municipal Courthouse on Thursday.
Prosecutors discussed whether or not the couple should be granted bail. The couple's attorneys stated they can't post bail due to their current financial situation.
"They have money to have made bail. They would have been out already but all of their money is tied up in a bank and the bank card is in impound and they don't have access to their money," Miller's attorney told the court. "Usually, you have friends and family on the outside who can make bail for you. It's unique in that they don't have that either. So in effect, they're being held here ... If we don't make a reasonable bail and give them access to their assets, they're going to be sitting in jail until we resolve this case or until we go to trial. Frankly, that is against the Nevada constitution."
Miller's attorney also questioned the jurisdiction in the case and said the couple is not a flight risk.
"There's reasonable doubt written all over this case in regard to where did these animals pass. They were in Boulder City for seven or eight minutes before they got pulled over and these animals that were dead were found. That begs the question of where it happened and where we should prosecute that portion of this case," he told the court. "You don't see 79 and 73-year-old people fleeing the state when they own a house and two businesses."
However, prosecutors said the couple has deceived authorities in the past.
"At the initial bail hearing, these individuals misrepresented to the court that they didn't have possession or custody of animals, were they to be released," prosecutors told the court. "There are no conditions of release this court can put on them to say they're not going to have anymore animals in their control. There is nothing you can do except wag the finger at them and say don't have anymore animals but you can't even put any credence in that, judge, because they already misrepresented to the court once when they knew they had more animals at their residences."
Luke's attorney told the court that he had "some concerns when speaking to [Luke] as to her competency" and whether she understood the seriousness of the charges against her. He requested the court allow her to undergo a psychological evaluation prior to the next hearing. Miller's attorney voiced similar concerns for his client.
According to jail records, Luke and Miller are still in custody at the Henderson Detention Center. The couple is due back in court on Thursday, April 18 at 8 a.m.
