Attorneys/Judges
| Judge(s): | Maria Berkenkotter |
Cat shot to death with rifle
Longmont, CO (US)Incident Date: Wednesday, Mar 26, 2008
County: Boulder
Charges: Felony CTA
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged: Paul John Vickers
Case Updates: 2 update(s) available
Police say a man shot a cat with a rifle and sent e-mails to relatives to tell them he did it "to get even" with his wife.
Longmont police say they arrested 50-year-old Paul John Vickers Wednesday after his wife's sister told police of the e-mail in which Vickers wrote about killing "Bootsie." Police Sergeant Tim Lewis says the married couple was involved in a long-running argument and Vickers was angry at his wife.
Police found the cat's body in a pond near where Vickers lives and say "Bootsie" was shot while in the couple's basement.
Vickers is being held at the Boulder County Jail on $25,000 bond. He faces charges of felony animal abuse, domestic violence and harassment.
Case UpdatesA Longmont man charged with what police describe as the spiteful killing of his wife's cat will head to the courtroom for two trials - one for aggravated cruelty to animals and another for drug possession.
Those trials are set for this winter, unless suspect Paul Vickers can work out a plea deal with prosecutors.
Vickers, 50, appeared in court Monday morning for an arraignment hearing - which is where a defendant pleads guilty or not guilty. His attorney Jason Savela asked for a delay since negotiations are ongoing over a possible deal with the district attorney's office.
District Judge Maria Berkenkotter said she would set two trial dates in case both sides couldn't work out a resolution to the case.
Vickers faces charges of felony animal abuse from the March episode and marijuana possession and cultivation, after police found pot plants in his home.
Police said they discovered the body of his wife's cat at a nearby pond and located a spot in Vickers' basement where the animal appeared to have been shot and killed with a .22-caliber rifle.
Vickers allegedly argued with his wife and threatened to kill her cat as revenge, according to e-mail messages Vickers sent to family members and that were later uncovered by investigators.
Vickers' animal abuse trial is set for Dec. 8 and his drug possession trial is set for Jan. 20. | Source: Daily Camera - Sept 8, 2008
Update posted on Sep 8, 2008 - 5:07PM |
The arraignment of a man accused of shooting his wife's cat to death out of anger at her was continued this afternoon. Paul John Vickers, 50, is scheduled to make a plea in the case on July 18.
He is charged with felony animal abuse.
The Longmont resident was arrested in March after officers said they found the cat's body at a nearby pond and located a spot in Vickers' basement where the animal appeared to have been shot with a .22-caliber rifle.
A search of Vickers' Doral Drive home uncovered numerous marijuana plants and 4.2 pounds of the processed drug. Authorities also seized two rifles from his home.
Vickers also faces domestic violence, harassment and drug charges in the case.
E-mails written by Vickers to members of his family and forwarded to police by his sister-in-law showed him to be angry at his wife, according to police. Police say he told his family he had killed the cat, Bootsie, in an act of retribution. | Source: Daily Camera - June 20, 2008
Update posted on Jun 22, 2008 - 11:56PM |
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