Dog decapitated with chainsaw
Aztec, NM (US)

Incident Date: Sunday, Aug 15, 2010
County: San Juan

Charges: Misdemeanor, Felony CTA
Disposition: Convicted

Defendants/Suspects:
» Teddy Sexton
» Corey Bowen

Case Updates: 2 update(s) available

The two Aztec men accused of nearly decapitating a dog with a chainsaw after the knife they used didn't work briefly appeared in Aztec Magistrate Court on Thursday to waive their right to a preliminary hearing.

Teddy Sexton, 32, and Corey Bowen, 31, both are facing fourth-degree felony extreme cruelty to animals after they allegedly used a chainsaw to kill a 2-year-old pit bull named Thor because it bit a child on Aug. 15, San Juan County Sheriff's Lt. Dwayne Faverino said.

It is believed children may have witnessed the incident.

"Of course he had just witnessed the dog attack a little girl," Defense Attorney Eric Morrow, said in court Thursday of why the men killed the dog. "Previous to that it attacked a little boy."

Because Sexton is on felony probation he told deputies he could not obtain a gun. Instead he grabbed a kitchen knife and went to where the dog was chained up, Faverino said.

He and Bowen attempted to cut the dog's throat, but were having difficulty and grabbed the chainsaw.

"Ultimately the issue is the method of putting the dog down," Deputy District Attorney Brent Capshaw said during Bowen's appearance.

Morrow attempted to mitigate the circumstances of the killing.

"It was a pit bull, it wasn't just any dog," he said. "He just witnessed a little girl have a hole in her neck."

Sheriff's deputies determined Thor previously bit a 7-year-old boy in the leg and on the day of the incident nipped a girl in the neck, Sheriff's Capt. Tim Black said.

"Apparently the girl played with the dog ever since it was a puppy," Black said. "The girl had a small bruise on her neck and small puncture under her chin."

Neither bite was reported to authorities and the girl was not taken to the doctor, he said.

Animal advocates, however, say the breed doesn't dictate an animal's behavior.

"Any dog that is unsocialized and doesn't have good social skills can attack," Tina Roper, director of the Aztec Animal Shelter said. "It's not any breed in particular. Even pit bulls make very loyal family pets if raised in the right way."

Animal control officers investigated allegations of abuse before this incident.

In 2009, Sexton's sister, who originally owned Thor, called to report Sexton was not taking care of the dog. The woman was no longer able to care for the dog because of a change in her living situation and she chained the dog at Sexton's residence, Black said.

Thor stayed chained there until the chainsaw incident, he said.

Sexton, at the time of the complaint, told animal control his sister was not providing enough food for Thor.

Animal control officers determined Thor was not in bad enough condition to seize the animal and Sexton refused to sign the dog over to officers, Black said.

"It is not illegal to have a dog on a chain as long as it has shelter, water and food," Black said. Animal control officers reported the dog was not vicious.

Thor, at the time of the incident, was chained to a utility trailer with a heavy logging chain, Sheriff's detective Kyle Lincoln said.

The chain was connected to his collar with a padlock. Investigators believe the dog was chained continuously for a year or more.

"Living life on a chain is no life at all," Roper said. "Dogs who live life on a chain lack social skills to interact with people in an appropriate manner. Dogs need to go for walks, come in the house and sleep, play ball. Dogs need social skills."

A Children, Youth and Families Department investigator tipped off deputies to the incident after being notified about several young children suffering from nightmares stemming from the incident.

Investigators still are trying to determine if children witnessed the incident.

The facts of the case at this point don't indicate (child abuse) would be an appropriate charge, Chief Deputy District Attorney Dustin O'Brien said.

A fourth-degree felony carries up to 18 months in prison, but Sexton, because of his prior criminal history, faces up to five and a half years for the incident, O'Brien said.

Sexton is serving probation for a November 2009 case in which he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor aggravated battery on a household member and fourth-degree felony false imprisonment. Prosecutors dismissed additional charges of second-degree felony kidnapping and third-degree abandonment or abuse of a child.

Sexton, as part of his probation, worked at the Aztec Animal Shelter to fulfill his required community service hours. He did janitorial work and did not work directly with animals.

Roper stressed there is always a humane way to put an animal down if necessary.

"Call animal control immediately and report a bite," she said. "Get it to the animal shelter or animal control will pick it up."

The Sheriff's Office also will bring a dog to the shelter provided a family sign the dog over at the shelter, Black said.

The public expressed outrage and demanded justice for Thor.

The District Attorney's Office received more than 600 e-mails, believed to be part of an e-mail petition, O'Brien said. The mass e-mails threatened to shut down the office's computer server.

"We the undersigned ask for the maximum sentence of 18 months in prison for Teddy Sexton and Corey Bowen in the decapitation of this helpless dog," the e-mail states. The e-mail also links the prevalence of animal cruelty with other violent crimes, including serial killers, domestic violence, child and sexual abuse.

Case Updates

References

• - Sept 23, 2010
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