A man who chopped his neighbour’s Black Labrador Retriever’s head and legs off before stashing them in his barn has been jailed – for 60 days.
Thomas William Middaugh, from Wexford Township, in the US state of Michigan, tortured, killed, beheaded and dismembered his neighbour’s dog in February after the poor pooch was unfortunate enough to wander onto his property.
On top of the two months in jail, he will have to serve two years probation after he is released after reaching a deal with prosecutors.
Middaugh was arrested in February and was jailed on Monday, 24th July by Wexford County Circuit Court Judge Jason Elmore, according to local media.
Newsflash obtained a statement from the Michigan State Police from 9th March, saying at the time: “On Saturday, February 4, 2023, at approximately 11:00 a.m. a trooper from the Michigan State Police (MSP) Cadillac Post responded to a report of dog being killed at a residence in Wexford Township.
“The trooper spoke with the dog’s owner. The owner said his seven-year-old black lab had wandered off the property the evening of Friday, February 3rd. He and his wife followed the dog’s tracks to a neighbour’s property.
“The following morning, they continued the search until they located an area in the snow where they could see where the dog had circled and stopped. There was a pool of blood in the snow and the dog was not there. There were tire tracks leading up to where the dog had been.”
The statement continued: “The investigation revealed the owner of the property, 43-year-old Thomas William Middaugh, from Buckley, had shot the dog multiple times with a .22 caliber rifle. He then cut the head and legs off the dog, wrapped it in a tarp, and put it inside a box that he hid inside his barn.
“A report was submitted to the Wexford County Prosecutor’s Office. An arrest warrant was issued on March 6, 2023. Troopers contacted Middaugh and informed him of the warrant. Middaugh agreed to meet with troopers, and he was lodged in the Wexford County Jail.
“Middaugh was arraigned today in the 84th District Court in Wexford County on one count Animals -Killing/Torturing, and Habitual Offender Third Notice. He was given a PR bond. His next scheduled court appearance is on March 28, 2023, 2:00 p.m.”
