A cocker spaniel was stabbed to death in its Orcutt backyard early Oct 27 during what Santa Barbara County Sheriff's deputies described as a botched burglary.
A 20-year-old man and a 15-year-old boy were arrested shortly after deputies were dispatched to a home in the 400 block of Pinal Avenue.
Sandy Rohde, 55, called authorities after hearing loud thumps on the outside her home about 1:30 a.m. Her six dogs rushed from inside the house to the back yard through a laundry room doggie door to investigate, but quickly rushed back in after Rusty, a yellow cocker spaniel, was assaulted.
Rohde then saw a hand reach in through the pet door and stab the dog in a swinging motion. The dog died from stab wounds to the back and hind quarters on the laundry room floor, said sheriff's Sgt. Erik Raney.
Deputies found Stephen Garrett Jr. and the juvenile hiding in the front yard of a home one block away. They were dressed in black, acting suspicious and smelled of alcohol, Raney said. The two were arrested on suspicion of prowling, burglary and animal cruelty.
Deputies did not find a weapon, said Sgt. Craig Bonner.
Garrett is a former neighbor whose family lived in the 400 block of Union Street for generations before moving last year. Rohde said she thought she knew the suspects, but was unsure until she could see mug shots.
Rohde remained extremely shaken and declined to discuss the incident, saying she did not feel safe. The assault happened less than two months after her husband was killed in a local car accident.
"All I have are my dogs," Rohde said.
Neighbors said there had been trouble previously at the Garrett family's former home. Last year, residents at the home allegedly set a backyard tree house on fire, which damaged a boat, mobile home and a neighbor's garage, according to the Orcutt Fire Department.
Garrett was booked into the Santa Maria Sheriff's Substation Jail and the boy was booked into Juvenile Hall. Case UpdatesAn Orcutt man accused of stabbing a cocker spaniel to death while prowling in a backyard pleaded not guilty on Nov 8 to felony animal cruelty and residential burglary charges.
Steven Garrett Jr., 20, appeared in Superior Court with defense attorney Michael Scott. Garrett is free on $60,000 bail and has applied for permission not to be present for routine pre-trial hearings in the future.
"He's living in Visalia at the present time," Scott told Commissioner John McGregor at the arraignment hearing.
Garrett's case will return to court Nov. 28 for a pre-trial hearing in front of Judge James Herman.
When a reporter asked if he had any thoughts on the case, Garrett replied, "No sir, I don't." Scott, his attorney, also declined comment.
Rusty the cocker spaniel was stabbed the night of Oct. 27 in the back yard of Sandy Rhode's home in the 400 block of Pinal Avenue in Orcutt. Rohde called authorities after hearing loud thumps outside her home. Her six dogs rushed from inside the house to the back yard through a doggie door to investigate, but rushed back in after Rusty was stabbed.
Rohde then saw a hand reach in through the pet door and stab the dog again in a swinging motion. The dog died on the laundry room floor from stab wounds to the back and hind quarters, Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Sgt. Erik Raney said.
Garrett and a 15-year-old boy were found that night hiding in the yard of a home a block away. They were dressed in black and smelled of alcohol, Raney said.
The teen was arrested by sheriff's deputies along with Garrett on suspicion of prowling, burglary and animal cruelty, but will not be charged in the case, said Senior Deputy District Attorney Mag Nicola. | Source: Lompoc Record - Nov 9, 2005
Update posted on Nov 10, 2005 - 7:45PM |
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