Florida man brutally bludgeons, stabs dog before baking it to death in hot oven
LEHIGH ACRES, FLORIDA: A man was arrested on Friday, April 3 when he brutally beat and stabbed a dog, the Lee County Sheriff's Office shared.
24-year-old Vicasso Lara reportedly killed the pet in his home. Deputies from the Lee County Sheriff's Office were called to the scene where they came across several pools of blood outside of the house.
Bloodied footprints led them to the back entrance of the home on 11th Street SW. Concerned deputies then obtained a search warrant to get inside the property. Upon entering the home, the deputies found the body of a dog in the kitchen oven that had been turned to the highest setting.
The deputies were called to the scene after getting reports that Lara had been threatening people outside his home. During the investigation, the authorities came to find that Lara had repeatedly stabbed the dog, then beat it with a bludgeon, and then placed it inside the oven.
He was arrested and charged with torture/inflict pain/serious physical injury/death upon an animal.
Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno said, "I’m speechless. This is possibly the most brutal and horrific example of animal abuse my team or I have ever seen. We will pursue the absolute maximum punishment for this horrific crime."
According to the staff at the Gulf Coast Humane Society, they recalled the day that Lara had adopted a dog called Iris from their center in February. The GCHS community relations coordinator, Brian Wierima shared, "I think he was with his father, I believe," Wink News reports.
"They were both happy to bring Iris into the family," Wierima shared. "It was tough to see what happened to her … It makes it especially hard because we knew she had a tough life to start with. It’s gotta be a mental health issue, especially during this time where people are locked in."
Footage of Lara's arrest was shared on the Lee County Sheriff’s Office's Facebook page where many outraged social media users left their comments. One user shared, "Thank you for getting this scumbag put behind bars. I hope he isn’t released BUT I know even if proven guilty he will get out eventually... probably be a serial killer too!! This person has no soul."
Another added, "The perpetrator does not only need jail time but some serious psychiatric help," while a third commented, "He has no feelings. He would just go on to torturing humans next. I can't think about that poor dog. I wish there was a punishment equal to what he did."
"Oh my gosh. This kills me. What is wrong with people being violent to innocent children and animals. They need to be punished to the fullest. This breaks my heart. The pain it went through. So evil," chimed in a fourth user.
GCHS community relations coordinator, Wierima shared that this was an extreme example and a reminder to check in with loved ones amid the coronavirus quarantine. "Be aware if a family member is starting to get stressed, acting a lot different," he shared.
"Get them help. Reach out to them. Get them help, so that nothing like this can happen again," he added.