Two dogs shot and killed
Sylva, NC (US)Incident Date: Wednesday, Oct 28, 2009
County: Jackson
Charges: Felony CTA
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged: Matthew Allen Burrell
A Jackson County man faces felony charges after investigators say he shot and killed two dogs on a roadside.
Matthew Allen Burrell, 24, of Sylva, was charged with two counts of felony cruelty to animals and misdemeanor going armed to the terror of the public. Julie Anne Straight, 41, who listed the same address, was charged with aiding and abetting Burrell.
It's unclear why the pug and Border collie were shot, Jackson County sheriff's deputy Mark Welch said.
Witnesses said they heard four shots just after midnight Oct. 24.
The first sounded like a firecracker and it was later followed by three more shots, said Justin Woodard, who was working on a race car inside the B&B Maintenance shop at the industrial park.
One of the shots sent a bullet ricocheting off the building, said Woodward and Barry Setzer, who was also in the shop.
Woodard and Setzer said they saw a woman pulling away fast in a gray Dodge pickup. The truck went to nearby Top Cats grocery, turned around and came back.
Woodard said he asked the driver if everything was alright and then saw Burrell walking toward the truck with a handgun.
Deputies found Burrell and Straight and escorted them back to the side of Webster Roada short time later. They made Burrell pick up the dead dogs and put them in the back of the truck, the witnesses said.
Burrell and Straight were arrested at Burrell's home at 9:45 p.m. -- more than 21 hours after the shooting.
A man who answered the telephone number Burrell gave investigators said Wednesday that he was not Burrell.
Burrell has a Jan. 12 court date for the animal cruelty charges.
In an unrelated case, he was charged with stealing a Plott Hound and possession of stolen goods on Oct. 1. References |
