Iguana beaten and shot
Spring Lake, MI (US)

Incident Date: Friday, Jul 14, 2000
County: Ottawa

Disposition: Convicted

Defendants/Suspects:
» Jordan Worel
» Zachary Shaw
» Joel Shinn
» Brian Goosen

Jordan Worel, Joel Shinn, Zachary Shaw, and Brian Goose admitted to breaking into Spring Lake High School on July 14, 2000, skateboarding through the school, stealing a laser disc player, and stealing a 3-foot-long iguana out of a classroom.

The iguana managed to climb a tree after he escaped from his captors, But when they couldn't get him down with a 2-by-4 board, Jordan Worel shot him with an arrow, then beat him to death with a shovel.  The carcass was thrown in a storm sewer.

Joel Shinn was sentenced to 45 hours of community service and ordered to pay $250 in restitution after pleading guilty to illegal entry.

Jordan Worel pleaded guilty to charged of larceny from a building and animal cruelty.  Chargers of animal killing and torture, larceny, and illegal entry were dropped.

Zachary Shaw was sentenced to 45 days in jail and fined $200 after pleading guilty to illegally entering the building.

Brian Goosen was charged in Ottawa County Juvenile Court with larceny from a building.

References

• The Grand Rapids Press 1-6-2001

« MI State Animal Cruelty Map

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