Pet-Abuse.Com - Animal Abuse Case Details: Puppies stolen from shelter, set on fire

Puppies stolen from shelter, set on fire
Lakewood, CO (US)

Incident Date: Monday, Feb 16, 2004
County: Jefferson
Local Map: available
Disposition: Convicted
Case Images: 4 files available

Abuser/Suspect: Ryan Turtura

Case Updates: 8 update(s) available

Case ID: 2049

Classification: Burning - Fire or Fireworks, Theft

Animal: dog (non pit-bull)

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Ryan Turtura was taken into custody after talking with authorities in the afternoon. He was being held in lieu of $25,000 bond and faces charges of first-degree arson, second-degree burglary, cruelty to animals, theft and criminal mischief. All of the charges are felonies.

Four dogs were stolen and three of them burned in two separate incidents last month. Two survived and two died.

For Mary Warren at the Colorado Humane Society, the only news that could have relieved some of the pain of seeing animals in her care stolen and tortured was Wednesday�s announcement about a suspect in custody.

�It's absolutely wonderful that we have rewards for all of those people, the reward of actually capturing somebody,� Warren said.

A $17,000 reward was offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction, and police say there is no reason to believe, right now, that there are any other suspects out there.

While Turtura is thought to have escaped from both crime scenes on the evening of Feb. 16, 2004, investigators say he left behind one critical clue: an appearance on a video. A surveillance camera from a store where he's thought to have purchased something flammable, coupled with the heartbreaking footage of a dog that survived, sparked outrage and started the phones ringing.

�Obviously, setting an animal on fire, a helpless animal on fire, kind of tugs at the heartstrings of the community and society in general,� said T.B. Mink, Jefferson County Sheriff's Office.

Ashley, the dog that survived the fire behind an Arvada movie theater, is recovering from her burns, but her companion who was stuffed inside a plastic kennel with her died. Another dog died in a similar fire behind a Bally's Fitness Center in Jefferson County. A second dog was found in that case, and a third ran away.

Warren says she feels some sense of justice. �We have to go after the perpetrators, and this is a perfect - a perfect example of how good it can go,� she said.

A home has been found for Ashley.

Turtura will be advised of the charges against him during a hearing. He has had other run-ins with the law, including traffic and alcohol offenses.

Case Updates

Turtura has been convicted of animal cruelty will spend more than 10 years in prison.

Ryan Turtura admitted to breaking into an animal shelter and stealing five puppies. He then set the animals on fire.

Two of the puppies died in the incident.

A judge gave Turtura the maximum sentence of 10-and-a-half years.

Source: CBS4 - April 29, 2005
Update posted on May 3, 2005 - 7:42PM

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Ryan Turtura, 20, of Littleton pleaded guilty to aggravated animal cruelty last week, and he has been jailed on $25,000. He lost a bid Tuesday in Golden to get that bail reduced.

Prosecutors argued that Turtura had no family connection in the Denver metro area, had no job or home and his four previous juvenile offenses, as well as four other times he failed to appear in court, make him a flight risk. They also mentioned his methamphetamine use and ties with other methamphetamine users as negative factors.

Turtura is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 25.

Source: The Denver Channel - Nov 17, 2004
Update posted on Nov 18, 2004 - 11:27PM

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Ryan Dean Turtura, DOB: 8-22-84, of Littleton, appeared today in the Jefferson County District Court and pled guilty to three counts of aggravated cruelty to animals (each a class 6 felony) and one count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor (a class 4 felony). Turtura was arrested in March 2004 for having broken into the Colorado Humane Society facility in Englewood, stealing five puppies and a sky kennel, and then setting fire to three of the puppies and the kennel. Two of the animals died and the third, Ashley, has recovered, been placed and is doing well.

The contributing to the delinquency count comes from a separate incident in which Turtura provided methamphetamine to two juvenile females, one 14 and one 15. This case was filed by the District Attorney's Office in June 2004 and was combined with this case in the interest of justice for today's proceedings.

Turtura will be evaluated for both his fire setting behavior and animal cruelty prior to sentencing, which is scheduled for January 25, 2005 at 8:30 a.m. in Division 1 of the Jefferson County District Court. He has remained in custody on $25,000 bond, but a hearing has been set for November 16 at 8:30 a.m. at which his attorney will argue for a reduction in his bond. Turtura could potentially face up to 10.5 years in prison.

Source: Jefferson County District Attorney's Office
Update posted on Nov 13, 2004 - 8:44AM

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Turtura pleaded guilty November 12, 2004 to animal cruelty for lighting three puppies on fire, killing two and severely injuring the third.

Ryan Turtura also pleaded guilty in Jefferson County District Court to contributing to the delinquency of minors.

He faces up to more than 10 years in prison and is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Thomas Woodford in January.

Dressed in clothing issued by the Jefferson County Jail, Turtura succinctly and politely answered questions asked by Woodford but did not address the court at length.

He has not posted a $25,000 bond since his March arrest.

Turtura also faced three counts of second-degree burglary, two counts of second-degree arson, and one count each of criminal mischief and theft, but those counts were dropped as part of a plea bargain. He initially faced up to 36 years in prison if convicted on all charges.

"Although it was not all we hoped for this was the best way to attempt to find justice in this case," said Kathy Sasak, Jefferson County assistant district attorney, of the plea agreement.

Turtura stole mixed breed puppies from the Colorado Humane Society in Englewood on Feb. 16, bound them with duct tape and used rubbing alcohol an accelerant to set the animals ablaze.

The contributing to the delinquency of minors case stemmed from a separate incident, but was joined to the animal cruelty case to "economize" judicial and court resources, Sasak said.

The delinquency case involved Turtura supplying methamphetamine to two teenagers, a 14-year-old and a 15-year-old.

Public Defender Willie Rios said Turtura accepted the plea because he "fears" another man who was involved in the animal cruelty case and would rather spend time in prison than face the co-perpetrator or his family.

Sasak said the case remains open as far as accomplices are concerned and investigators continue to look at that possibility.

Source: Denver Post
Update posted on Nov 13, 2004 - 8:39AM

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Jefferson County District Attorney Dave Thomas today filed charges against Littleton resident, Ryan Dean Turtura, DOB: 8-22-84. Turtura is alleged to have burglarized the Colorado Humane Society February 16, 2004, stealing five puppies and a sky kennel and causing $2,200.00 worth of damage to the facility. According to court records, the defendant admitted to placing duct tape on the front and rear legs of two of the puppies and transporting them to Arvada Mann Theater, where he lit the puppies and the sky kennel on fire. Using alcohol purchased from Walgreen�s, Turtura lit the third puppy on fire in the stairwell of Bally�s Total Fitness Center. Caught by a Bally�s employee, Turtura fled, leaving the burned puppy and one other, and taking one with him. Two of the burned puppies were fatally injured, and one more is being treated for third degree burns and smoke inhalation.

Turtura has been charged with first degree arson (a class 3 felony); second degree arson (a class 4 felony); three counts of second degree burglary (class 4 felonies); criminal mischief (a class 4 felony); theft (a class 4 felony); and three counts of aggravated cruelty to animals (class 6 felonies). If convicted of all charges, he could potentially face up to 40 years in prison.

He remains in custody of the Jefferson County Jail. Bond has been set at $25,000. Tutura and his attorney have until March 18 to schedule a preliminary hearing

Source: Jefferson County District Attorney's Office
Update posted on Nov 13, 2004 - 8:36AM

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Ryan Turtura, who admitted setting puppies on fire was ordered to stand trial on charges of animal cruelty, arson and burglary.

Prosecutors said Ryan Turtura, 19, set three dogs on fire. Two of them died.

During testimony Thursday, police said Turtura told them he broke into the Colorado Humane Society shelter three times and stole four dogs in February.

Despite that, Turtura is pleading not guilty. He remains behind bars.

An arraignment hearing is scheduled for June 2004.

Update posted on May 21, 2004 - 2:53PM

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The 19-year-old accused of setting several dogs on fire was formally charged Monday, March 8, 2004 . According to court documents, Ryan Turtura confessed to stealing four dogs from the Colorado Humane Society in Englewood and setting them on fire. Two died, two survived. Turtura was charged with first- and second-degree arson, second-degree burglary and aggravated cruelty to animals. One of the dogs who survived is in a new home. Ashley, a 3-month-old Shepherd mix, was introduced to her new family Saturday night during a fundraiser for the Humane Society at the Brown Palace.

Update posted on Mar 8, 2004 - 7:33PM

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Ryan Turtura, 19, appeared in court for the first time March 4, 2004 after being arrested the night before. Turtura was identified after authorities released a surveillance video showing a man buying accelerants that were used to burn the dogs.

The woman who turned in Turtura was his girlfriend's mother.

She took a closer look at the surveillance video of a man at a Walgreens store, buying an item that later turned up at the crime scene. She said she realized it was Turtura and knew what she had to do.

Redgate has no regrets about calling the police and stateed if you know somebody that people are looking for, you should call in. It's the right thing to do.

Ryan Turtura, 19, is accused of stealing Ashley and other dogs and setting them on fire.
He's currently in the Jefferson County jail. He will likely face charges of arson, burglary and animal cruelty.

Update posted on Mar 8, 2004 - 3:39AM

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	The Denver Channel - Nov 12, 2004
	The Casper Star Tribune - Nov 12, 2004
	The Rocky Mountain News - Nov 13, 2004
	Washington Times

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Puppies stolen from shelter, set on fireLakewood, CO (US)

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Puppies stolen from shelter, set on fire
Lakewood, CO (US)