News Releases

Suspect Arrested in Animal Cruelty Case

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Today, officers from the Montgomery County Police-Animal Services Division arrested Alec Eugene Taylor, age 27, of the 13800 block of Castle Boulevard in Silver Spring, for intentionally and cruelly killing a seven-month-old puppy.  Taylor is being charged with aggravated animal cruelty and abuse or neglect of an animal.

On February 28 at approximately 11:10 a.m., Montgomery County police officers and animal services officers were called to a residence in the 13800 block of Castle Boulevard in Silver Spring.  The complainant, Taylor's girlfriend, stated that Taylor had beaten and killed their seven-month-old Jack Russell Terrier named Rocko.

Investigation has revealed that on February 26 at approximately 4:30 p.m., the complainant received a text from Taylor stating that the dog, Rocko, had defecated on the carpet and that Taylor had killed the dog; Taylor also texted a photograph of what appeared to be a lifeless dog.  In a follow-up phone call between the complainant and Taylor, Taylor said that he was tired of cleaning up the dog's defecation and that he had beaten the dog with a mop.  He also said that he had placed the deceased dog in a dumpster in the parking lot.  The complainant asked Taylor if he could remove Rocko from the dumpster so that she could bury the dog.  At approximately 6:30 p.m. that evening, the complainant returned home from work, retrieved the deceased dog from a shoebox on the apartment balcony, and buried the dog at a neighborhood park in Hyattsville.

Animal Services Officers located and recovered the dog and a necropsy was performed.  The necropsy results have identified the likely immediate cause of death as acute hemorrhagic shock likely due to blood loss from liver damage caused by blunt force trauma shortly before death.  During the investigation, Animal Services Division officers also spoke with Taylor.  He stated that he used a mop to force Rocko from behind the dryer and then used his hands to choke Rocko until he was dead.

Animal Services Officers obtained a warrant for Taylor's arrest last evening.  Today, Taylor turned himself into officers and was transported to the Central Processing Unit.  He is being charged with aggravated animal cruelty (a felony) and abuse or neglect of an animal.  There is no bond information at this time.

Note to media: The complainant in this case has stated that she does not wish to speak at this time.

RLI

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Release ID: 14-054
Media Contact: mcpnews 
Categories: press-releases