Five dogs fatally poisoned
Las Cruces, NM (US)Incident Date: Thursday, Sep 18, 2008
County: Dona Ana
Charges: Felony CTA
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged: Mark Burbano
Case Updates: 1 update(s) available
A Las Cruces man has been charged with poisoning and killing five beagle dogs and then keeping officers at bay during an hours-long standoff at his home that ended Saturday morning.
Mark Burbano, 47, of the 4900 block of Wrangler Way, was charged Friday with five counts of extreme animal cruelty, a fourth-degree felony, and one count of obstructing an officer, Dona Ana County animal control supervisor Curtis Childress said.
Burbano was being held Sunday at a local hospital undergoing a psychiatric evaluation and will be arrested once he is discharged.
Childress said the five dogs were poisoned at a home in the 4800 block of Campbell Road some time Thursday. Investigators area trying to determine what was used to poison the animals. It is believed whatever substance was used was mixed with dog food and fed to the beagles using a tin pan.
According to Childress, it was learned that Burbano had earlier been at the dog owner's home. A search warrant was to be served Friday evening at Burbano's home. When officers arrived about 10 p.m., Burbano was observed inside the home but did not respond to attempts to contact him for approximately the next seven hours.
A SWAT team sent into the home located Burbano hiding under a bed, Childress said.
Childress could not say what motivated the alleged poisonings but did say that Burbano and the dogs' owner are acquainted.
"From where things stand now, we don't know why he did it," Childress said.
Case UpdatesA Las Cruces man accused of poisoning and killing five beagle dogs has been jailed.
Mark Burbano, 47, was booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center on Thursday following his release from a local hospital, county animal control supervisor Curtis Childress said.
Burbano had been hospitalized undergoing a psychological evaluation since his arrest the morning of Sept. 20.
Burbano has been charged with five counts of extreme animal cruelty, a fourth-degree felony, and one misdemeanor count of resisting or obstructing an officer.
According to court records, Burbano is accused of poisoning �" possibly by soaking dog food with antifreeze �" the five dogs owned by Steven Prescott. The dogs were allegedly poisoned Sept. 18 at Prescott's home on Campbell Road.
Investigators and Prescott have been unable to offer a motive for the poisoning.
Burbano has had a history of mental illness, Childress and Prescott have said. | Source: Las Cruces Sun - Sept 29, 2008
Update posted on Sep 29, 2008 - 2:01PM |
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