FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. – A Palm Coast man was arrested after deputies said he shot and killed his dog, then tried to blame the crime on an intruder.
Deputies said they responded to a home on Westhampton Drive after Robert Williams reported that his home was broken into and his dog had been killed.
Recommended Videos
According to a news release, deputies located a German Shephard with a gunshot wound to the head.
The FCSO Major Case Unit responded to the scene to investigate and Ring surveillance footage of the home indicated that Williams appeared to have been the only person within the home and the only person armed.
Deputies said there were no signs of forced entry into the residence or signs of a struggle.
[TRENDING: DeSantis ‘review’ of public records can add months of delays, newly uncovered log reveals | Car goes off Florida bridge in fatal crash with Road Ranger, FHP says | Affidavit offers new details in shootings of Orlando TV news crew, 9-year-old girl and her mother | Become a News 6 Insider]
According to the release, detectives served a search warrant at the home and seized two handguns, four long guns, and a large quantity of ammunition. In addition, deputies said a .35 lever-action rifle was found near the deceased dog with a spent casing still in the chamber.
Deputies said due to the evidence, Williams was arrested and faces charges of animal cruelty and discharging a firearm on a residential property.
“This man tried to cover up his crime by claiming that an intruder killed his dog,” Sheriff Rick Staly said. “Violence is never the answer, especially violence against animals who cannot protect themselves. I hope he will never be able to have a pet again and be held accountable for the death of his dog.”
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: