Nicholas Hassman, 21, an Indianapolis man has admitted to beating a friend's dog to death because the animal defecated in the house. He is also accused of lying to police by initially telling them that intruders broke into the house and beat him and the dog.
Hassman was taken to the Marion County Lockup on Tuesday on preliminary charges of cruelty to animals, killing and torturing a vetebrate animal, criminal mischief and false reporting.
The Marion County prosecutor's office has asked that Hassman be held for 72 hours while the case is being reviewed for formal charges. He was being held Wednesday on a $3,000 bond.
He is accused of killing the dog of a friend, with whom he had been staying for a few days, while the friend was at work late Monday or early Tuesday.
According to Sgt Carmie Godan of the Marion County Sheriff's Department: Matthew J. Garries, 22, of the 200 block of South Fenton Street called authorities Tueday when he found his dog - a large Old English sheepdog mix - tied with a leash in the backyard and suffering from numerous injuries.
Garries told deputies that Hassman claimed three or four intruders had entered the house during the night and beat him and the dog. Animal Control officers were called to assist the dog, but the animal died before help arrived.
The dog had large cuts on the face and blood on the neck, but there was no large amount of blood outside the house. Inside, officers found a large amount of blood in a closet. Godan said it appears the dog tried to get into the closet to hide.
She said blood on a wall indicated the dog had been picked up and thrown against the wall. A mirror had been shattered and was covered with blood.
Godan said blood and dog hair were found in the bathtub, where an attempt was made to clean up the animal. A red brick also was found in the house, and police believe it was used to beat the dog.
Hassman finally told detectives the dog had defecated in the house and he tried to punish the animal, which bit him. Hassman had small puncture wounds on his left forearm. After further questioning, Godan said, Hassman admitted beating the dog and said the earlier statements about the intruders were false. References« Back to Search Results
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