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Case ID: 17667
Classification: Shooting
Animal: dog (non pit-bull)
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Saturday, Jan 15, 2011

County: Albemarle

Disposition: Alleged

Alleged:
» Justin Tyler Riggs
» Brian Charles Tichner

Albemarle County Police have arrested two people in connection with the fatal shooting of a family pet in the Earlysville area of the county. A 10-month-old Siberian Husky named Mattie was killed in January.

Justin Riggs, 26, of Charlottesville, has been charged with cruelty to animals, taking game or fish during closed season, and possession of a firearm after having been convicted of a violent felony. Brian Tichner, 21, of Dyke, has been charged with possession of a firearm after having been convicted of a violent felony.

Riggs was arrested on Tuesday and Tichner on Wednesday. Both are being held at the Albemarle Charlottesville Regional Jail pending a bond hearing. Police believe both men were hunting in the neighborhood at the time the dog was shot.

On January 15, Ed and Yvonne Scarborough reported that their 10-month-old Siberian Husky, Mattie, was shot and killed in front of their house in the Fray's Grant neighborhood.

The Scarborough family initially offered a $10,000 for information leading to an arrest. The community rallied around the effort and added to the reward, increasing it to $26,000.

Albemarle County court records show four prior criminal convictions for Riggs:

2003 - launching a missile into an occupied vehicle
2005 - unlawful wounding
2005 - felon in possession of a firearm
2005 - probation violation

Tichner holds a pair of felony convictions of his own. In 2008, he was found guilty of grand larceny and breaking & entering.

Both Riggs and Tichner are being held at Albemarle/Charlottesville Regional Jail, and both are scheduled to appear in Albemarle County General District Court on May 5.

References

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