"Linda" last saw her cherished golden retriever safely shut in her back yard on Spout Springs Road in Tuscumbia. At least that's the last time she saw him alive. After hearing gun shots and wails, Linda found her family member dead, shot by a SIG Sauer 9 mm handgun. Arrests records indicate the 5'6" shooter weighs a whopping 165 pounds, so we'll theorize his super macho handgun provides him with a greater sense of manhood.
Canine Killer Demastus
After taking a police report, Colbert County investigators arrested the diminutive Justin Aaron Demastus. The 31 year-old neighbor has claimed Linda's docile retriever entered his property and growled at him. Law enforcement doubted his story, and took Demastus into custody on October 21st, charging him with Felony Cruelty to Animals.
Demastus is married and has a young son. Apples, monkeys, sons; animal cruelty is a vicious way of life among some families. Let's put a stop to it now.
Was this an ongoing problem or was this the 1st and only time the precious lab 'escaped' its property? Had these 2 property owners had prior communications re: this particular dog? How many times had Demastus contacted Colbert animal control prior to this, if ever? Had Colbert animal control recommended this guy shoot the dog during a prior incident (don't scoff, instead of simply enforcing the existing law, CC Animal Control officer *and Sheffield PD have both recommended I shoot a dog on my street....even discussed safety protocol for discharging firearm in crowed neighborhood. Yes, really.)? To automatically assume this guy is a dog killing monster is a mistake. If he murdered the dog for a single event like implied herein, he certainly should be in jail. However, I'm willing to wager there is a lot more to this story.
ReplyDeleteDog owners that knowingly allow their dogs to run amok, chase cars, destroy property, etc (i.e., activity that virtually guarantees that something horrible will happen to their 'beloved' pet) are in the exact same class as the monster who will douse an animal in gasoline and set it on fire...and, in my opinion, should be judged/treated as such.
While we can't give you exact details on the shooting, we don't believe the sheriff's investigator would have arrested Demastus if there had not been proper cause.
DeleteWhat you say about dogs running lose is very true. Home rule prevents county governments from passing laws to keep animals up and, therefore, is an enabler in such incidents as you mentioned.
There was never a complaint on the dog, The dog Had Never been out of the fenced in back yard . The other dog was still in fenced in back yard.when this happened . We’ve never had any problems with the neighbor . Actually they told the deputy we were very good neighbors. We’ve Never had any problems . Never . Everything will come out in the trial.
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