Heartbreaking Cruelty, Man Decapitates His Newly Adopted Dog

Published: May 23, 2024 at 07:41 PM Author: PENNY EIMS

Pinellas County, FL – A Florida man was arrested and is facing charges for an unthinkable act of cruelty that left his newly adopted dog, Dexter, dead. Just one day after 66-year-old Domingo R. Rodriguez adopted Dexter from the Pinellas County Animal Services, the dog was decapitated, wrapped in a plastic bag and thrown into the mangroves at Fort De Soto Park.

Dexter

Dexter’s head had been cut off, but the microchip he received at the shelter was still in place and it led the authorities to his owner, who adopted the dog on May 10. Rodriguez initially tried to claim that Dexter had run away, but after further questioning, he admitted that he had travelled to Fort De Soto Park on May 11. Surveillance video captured Rodriguez at the park on May 11 with a large cooler in the bed of his gray truck.

The authorities say that Rodriguez had several “inconsistencies” in his story and ultimately, they were convinced that he was responsible for Dexter’s grim demise, charging him with animal cruelty and illegally disposing of a dead animal.

Volunteers who interacted with Dexter say that he was a sweet boy who craved love and liked to sit in your lap. But this young dog did not get to experience the love he so desperately craved. Instead, he found himself in the care of a man who cut his life short and mutilated his body.

Please add your name to the petition to help Animal Victory fight for justice for Dexter. Domingo Rodriguez must be held accountable for his sadistic, despicable actions!

Watch Paul Mueller’s video about this horrifying incident:

Target: Pinellas County Prosecuting Attorney and Pinellas County Judge

We the undersigned demand that Domingo R. Rodriguez face the maximum sentence for the charges stemming from the cruel, sadistic killing of four-year-old Dexter, his newly adopted dog. This petition acts as our collective endorsement for Rodriguez to face true consequences for his actions.  This man is clearly a danger to society, and he must not walk away from this brutal incident without serious consequences. 

Individuals are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law. Animal Victory relies upon the authorities and the court system to determine guilt or innocence.

Animal-Protection-Laws-of-Florida-2020-Animal-Legal-Defense-Fund (4)

News:

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Update 12/09/2024: The case is headed to trial February 18, 2025.

Update 11/23/2024: Wonderful news! The judge did not honor the request to dismiss the case. The next court date is December 5th set for a jury trial.

Update 11/19/2024: Animal Victory sent petition with updated signatures to the Judge and DA. 

Update 11/5/2024: Animal Victory sent petition with updated signatures to the Judge and DA. 

Update 11/04/2024: A hearing for a motion to dismiss is scheduled for November 12, 2024, at 8:30 a.m.

Update 10/17/2024: Animal Victory has learned that the pre-trial is scheduled for 12/05/2024. The defendant bonded out and pled not guilty on 08/24/2024.

Update 10/8/2024: Animal Victory sent petition with updated signatures to the Judge and DA. 

Update 9/26/2024: The pre-trial is now scheduled for October 17th at 8:30 at Pinellas County Courthouse.

Update 9/8/2024: Animal Victory sent petition with updated signatures to the Judge and DA. 

Update 8/20/2024: Pre-trial for Domingo Rodriguez has been scheduled for September 19, 2024 at 8:30 a.m. Judicial Officer Keith Meyer presiding.

CIRCUIT JUDGE KEITH MEYER
14250 49TH STREET NORTH
CLEARWATER, FL 33762
CHAMBERS 9
727-464-6430
sectionb@jud6.org

Update 6/18/2024: There was a rally for Dexter at the court house. The defendant’s motion to squash the search warrant was squashed and the judge amended the bond to include no custody or ownership of animals until trial. No word as to a follow-up court date. 

Update 6/9/2024: Animal Victory sent petition to the DA and Judge.

Update 6/5/2024: The next court date is June 17, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. EST before Judicial Officer Keith Meyer. Florida 6th Circuit Court, 14250 49TH STREET NORTH. CLEARWATER, FL 33762. This next hearing will be to rule on the defendant’s motion to squash the search warrant by Pinellas County Law Enforcement.

Correspondence filed by the attorney’s defendant is attached below.

DocumentFragment_87495436

Heartbreaking Cruelty, Man Decapitates His Newly Adopted Dog

19,354 signatures = 97% of goal
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19354 SUPPORTERS


Latest Signatures
19,354 Juanita F. 0 Dec 14, 2024
19,353 Berline P. This was so wrong what this man did to Sweet Dexter..... He's just spend the rest of his life in prison... If it was up to me I would execute him.... Justice for Dexter 0 Dec 14, 2024
19,352 Patty J. Punish the killer to the maximum allowable by law! 0 Dec 14, 2024
19,351Anonymous 0 Dec 13, 2024
19,350Anonymous May justice be served in honor of Dexter and other animals that have sadly fallen in the hands of evil. 0 Dec 13, 2024
19,349 Dorothy M. 0 Dec 12, 2024
19,348Anonymous 0 Dec 12, 2024
19,347 David W. What a scumbag!!! 0 Dec 12, 2024
19,346 anna c. 0 Dec 12, 2024
19,345Anonymous This monster deserves to rot in jail. Better still, in a garbage bag in the mangroves - just like he did to poor innocent Dexter. 0 Dec 12, 2024
19,344 Kimberlee G. No animal should ever be tortured. This evil person knew what he was going to do to this defenseless dog. Unfortunately the background check didn't reveal how evil this person is. He adopted this this dog because he wanted to kill an animal or human. I wish that we could do the horrible acts to the people that torture these animals and children. 0 Dec 12, 2024
19,343 Shaunalee B. 0 Dec 11, 2024
19,342 Shaunalee B. 0 Dec 11, 2024
19,341 Linda K. 0 Dec 11, 2024
19,340 Debra K. 0 Dec 10, 2024
19,339Anonymous Wish we could do to him what he did to the dog! 0 Dec 09, 2024
19,338 leonard n. Did you know what you were doing when you put their pictures side by side? Dexter died in the fight against evil. 0 Dec 09, 2024
19,337 Sharlize B. 0 Dec 09, 2024
19,336 Edna P. 0 Dec 09, 2024
19,335 Luba J. 0 Dec 08, 2024
19,334 LILLIAN S. JUSTICIA 0 Dec 07, 2024
19,333Anonymous The man should be punished beyond the fullest extent of the law. Need STRONGER animal protection laws. Judge, make an example of this man. The pain and fear while being decapitated. 0 Dec 07, 2024
19,332 Colin S. 0 Dec 07, 2024
19,331 Kay S. 0 Dec 07, 2024
19,330 Tania H. 0 Dec 07, 2024
19,329 Patricia N. 0 Dec 07, 2024
19,328 Sandie R. 0 Dec 07, 2024
19,327 Bryan E. FRY HIS ASS TO A CRISP.... POS 0 Dec 07, 2024
19,326 Truly T. 0 Dec 07, 2024
19,325 Aneta M. I hope this psychopath rot in jail and get the same treatment he did to the poor dog!!! 0 Dec 06, 2024
19,324Anonymous 0 Dec 06, 2024
19,323 Christine F. 0 Dec 06, 2024
19,322 Sarah S. This heartless it should rot in prison this is a clear indication of a psychopath and is a danger to society 0 Dec 06, 2024
19,321 Margie G. 0 Dec 06, 2024
19,320 Rhonda W. If they can do this to a dog, they are practicing for a human. To pick an exceptionally sweet dog, that just wanted love. Shelter dogs ate extremely grateful for the opportunity to leave that shelter and have a home. Please do not see a dog. Please see him as a soul that wanted love. 0 Dec 06, 2024
19,319 Lisanne D. He deserves life in prison if you ask me!!! 0 Dec 06, 2024
19,318Anonymous 0 Dec 06, 2024
19,317 Paul H. Justice for Dexter 0 Dec 05, 2024
19,316 Marisol G. The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people. -*Martin Luther King, Jr. 0 Dec 05, 2024
19,315 Marisol G. 0 Dec 05, 2024
19,314 Laura M. 0 Dec 05, 2024
19,313 Ann Marie S. Please, please impose the maximum sentence on this abuser! Animal cruelty is abhorrent. Any person capable of this behavior is not fit to be in society. 0 Dec 05, 2024
19,312 Claude V. 0 Dec 05, 2024
19,311 Karen S. Abusers and murderers of animals like this ‘man’ need to held accountable. They inevitably prey not just on animals but, humans as well. Society needs and deserves to be protected from humans with abhorrent behavior. 0 Dec 05, 2024
19,310Anonymous Dexter’s life mattered! 0 Dec 05, 2024
19,309 Sharon G. 0 Dec 05, 2024
19,308 Lynn I. Horrendous act. You monster. 0 Dec 05, 2024
19,307Anonymous 0 Dec 05, 2024
19,306 Kim C. We absolutely need to recognize how cruelty many times leads to violence towards humans. 0 Dec 05, 2024
19,305 Debbie D. If they kill animals this way they will kill a human the same. He needs death row. 0 Dec 05, 2024