St. Paul Teen Loses Her Beloved Canine

Chevy, the murdered dog.
(from America's Most Wanted Site
http://www.amw.com/fugitives/case.cfm?id=43997)

View LargerIt was an ordinary night in St. Paul, Minn. for 17-year-old Crystal Brown when she let her puppy, Chevy, outside. But, the young girl started to worry when the 4-year-old Australian shepherd didn't come home when she called his name. He had somehow managed to wander off. Crystal was grief stricken when she couldn't find her "best friend." Every day, she walked around her community - door to door - with the hopes that somebody would have found her precious pup. Crystal created "missing" posters and hung them up in surrounding neighborhoods. She would do anything to find Chevy.

A month went by and there was still no sign of Chevy. Then, one day, Crystal's grandmother, Shirley Brown, came home and found a beautifully wrapped gift on their front porch. The gift was wrapped with red paper and had a pack of batteriers taped to the top of the box. The sender also sent a note that read "Congratulations, Crystal! This side up. Batteries included." Shirley grabbed the gift, took it upstairs, and placed it on her granddaughter's bed. She was excited for her granddaughter and hoped that the gift would cheer her up.


But, what she found was the worst gift she will ever receive.
Teenager Receives Gruesome Gift
When Crystal returned home, she saw the gift and became excited. "I thought it was a gift from my cousin" she tearfully stated. Crystal tore off the wrapping paper and ripped into her surprise. But, what she found was the worst gift she will ever receive.

Inside the box were Valentine's Day candies and a black garbage bag. When she moved the bag, Crystal saw the face of her little puppy, Chevy. She screamed and ran downstairs to the kitchen to find her grandmother. "Is this my dog, Grandma? No! That's not my dog!" -- but, it was.

St. Paul police are investigating the bizzare and heinous crime. The homocide division is leading the investigation because of the "implied" terroristic threats. Sgt. Jim Gray said that there are no strong suspects in the case but forensic evidence is still being done on the box. Because this act was so random, police have no reason to believe that it will happen again. But, pet owners should still be cautious of their pets' whereabouts.

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is offering a $2,500 reward for anybody who can provide information on the apprehension and conviction of the culprits responsible for the cruel act.


Animal Abuse Is Strongly Linked To Human Violence
Currently, there is no national database that tracks all animal cruelty cases. HSUS spokesperson, Dale Bartlett, said that it is very difficult to keep track of the number of animal cruelty cases because so many go unreported. But, even in his years of experience, decapitations of animals, especially house pets, are very rare.

HSUS states that animal cruelty laws are different in each state. Forty-two states have felony provisions for the worst types of animal cruelty. Luckily, Minnesota is a state that has a rare provision to their animal cruelty law. The provision states that any individual who is found guilty of cruelty or torture to dogs and cats, and does so to threaten, intimidate, or terrorize another person, may be sentenced to prison time for no more than 4 years or to a fine not exceeding $10,000 or both. The provision enforces the highest penalty for animal cruelty in the state.

Past research has shown that there is a strong link between those who abuse animals and those who attack other people. Famous serial killers such as Ted Bundy and Jeffery Dahmer have performed heinous acts on animals before brutally attacking their human victims. HSUS also cites that pet abuse is a significant factor in predicting abusive behavior. Many adolescents who torture and abuse animals usually grow up to have some sort of behavioral problems and they become very violent towards other people. Information on how to end animal cruelty and how to help bring Chevy's murderer to justice can be found on HSUS's website.