A man accused of raping and murdering an emotional support service dog in March allegedly told investigators in Washington state he hanged the 3-year-old pit bull mix from a tree in the forest because the animal killed his pet iguana.
James Leroy Evans, 33, posted $50,000 bail and was released from Thurston County Jail on Wednesday, where he was being held on a first-degree animal cruelty charge, Q13Fox reported. He was arrested Sunday based on a tip from a relative of the dog’s owner, The Olympian reported.
Evans confessed to officials that he killed the dog, telling authorities, “I did it! I hung her,” according to court documents viewed by The Olympian.
His next court date is April 26.
“What I know from family members is that he’s got an explosive personality,” Thurston County animal control officer Erika Johnson said. “He’s got some real anger issues.”
A biker discovered the puppy, named Diamond, hanging from the tree on March 22. Scratch marks from where the dog had struggled were evident at the scene. A veterinarian later revealed the dog had been severely sexually abused. The official cause of death was asphyxiation.