Virginia man kills pet pit bull by dousing it with lighter fluid and setting it on fire because it bit his toddler daughter
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA: A Virginia man who tied his dog to a fence, doused it in lighter fluid, and then set it on fire has been jailed.
Jyahsuah A. Hill, 20, hit national headlines in February after details of the horrific torture he inflicted on his pit bull, 'Choo Choo,' came to light, according to the Daily Mail.
Choo Choo was found in a critical condition with over 40 percent burns on the body on February 10 in Abner Clay Park by members of the Richmond Fire Department, who named him Tommie.
He required intravenous fluids and a feeding tube for nutrition, and quickly caught the attention of the internet after Richmond Animal Care and Control shared a picture of him covered in bandages and casts snuggling with a stuffed animal.
Donations totaling more than $25,000 reached the shelter to help cover his medical costs, but the pup's condition continued to deteriorate, and he died five days later.
Investigators had recovered a bottle of lighter fluid from the scene and found fingerprints that were later determined to belong to Hill. Surveillance cameras also captured the 20-year-old from the time he left his home and walked five blocks to the park, where he set him ablaze.
At the time of his arrest, Hill claimed he attacked the dog after he "blacked out" and flew into a fit of rage because it bit his toddler daughter. "The dog attacked my daughter and I snapped," he told WTVR. "I did what I had to do to protect my kids from the dog. The dog was too vicious to be around other dogs."
He also said he blacked out because of his diagnosed schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, and that he was not on drugs or alcohol at the time.
Speaking at a hearing in June, prosecutor Denise Anderson told the court, "He was dragging and jerking the dog by its leash. He was yelling things like, 'You'll get yours'."
"While the defendant fled on foot, the dog ran in circles trying to escape its agony," she added.
The Richmond Police announced that Hill had agreed to a plea deal that will see him serve five years behind bars without the possibility of parole.
The department said the 20-year-old had also been barred from owning or possessing animals for life, and that animal control officers would periodically pay visits to his home after his release to ensure he did not have any pets.
Speaking after his sentencing, Anderson said, "It's a victory for animal rights activists and Tommie's memory," while Christie Peters, the Director of Richmond Animal Care and Control, said "justice was served" and that she was hopeful it "sends a message we don't play around."
Public anger over the incident also resulted in Virginia lawmakers to pass legislation that was dubbed 'Tommie's Law' that upgraded animal cruelty to a felony in the state.
Before the law was passed, an animal had to die as a direct result of torture or inhumane injury for the perpetrator to face a felony charge.
"We're the voice for the animals," Christie said. "I'm hopeful that people might think a little bit differently about things they may want to do in the state of Virginia to animals because we have really robust laws that allow us to prosecute in this manner."