Mohave County, AZ – An Arizona man is facing 94 felony counts of animal cruelty following the grim discovery of 183 dead animals stuffed in the freezer of a Golden Valley residence that 43-year-old Michael Patrick Turland had rented.

According to a news release from the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office, the dead animals in the garage freezer included dogs, rabbits, birds, turtles, lizards, mice, rats, and snakes.

The authorities believe that some of the animals were placed in the freezer while they were still alive due to “body positioning.”  When deputies made contact with Turland, he “eventually admitted to placing some of the animals in the freezer when they were still alive.”

The sheriff’s office was alerted to the disturbing situation after the new property owner discovered the menagerie of deceased animals in the garage freezer. A woman, unnamed in the release, believes that some of the dead reptiles belonged to her. The news release explains further:

The reporting party advised that multiple dead animals had been located inside a freezer in the garage and she believed some of them had belonged to her. Upon arrival, the reporting party advised that she resides in Phoenix and that an agreement had been reached between herself and Turland for him to take possession of her snakes and breed them, then return them to her.
After a few months she was not able to reach Turland to get her snakes back.

What this man is accused of doing is appalling, and people are outraged and want punishment!

According to several Facebook posts on the sheriff’s office news release, Turland and his wife, Brooklyn Beck, had been owners of a grooming business in Kingman.

And this is not Turland’s first walk on the wrong side of the law. In the past, he was arrested for assault and obstruction of justice.

Please add your name to the petition today! It is our hope that Michael Turland will face the maximum punishment for his charges and be prohibited from owning or possessing animals in the future. We need your support to ensure that he does not receive a plea deal!

Michael Patrick Turland was transported to the Mohave County Adult Detention Facility in Kingman, and deputies are hoping to make contact with Brooklyn Beck for questioning about this incident. This investigation is ongoing.

We the undersigned demand that Michael Patrick Turland is held responsible for this appalling behavior. We are petitioning for Turland to receive the maximum punishment allowable by law and to be prohibited from owning pets in the future.

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

News:

Associated Press

Mohave County Sheriff’s Office

Daily Mail

Update 3/13/2023: Animal Victory sent cover letter and petition to the judge. 

Update 11/18/2022: Animal Victory has learned that this case has been pushed into next year. The trial is now scheduled to begin on 2/06/2023 at 9:00 a.m.

Update 9/25/22: The next scheduled hearing is on October 20, 2022, at 1:30 p.m. 

Update 6/10/2022: Animal Victory has learned that the next hearing is set for 6/13/2022, and the hearing after that is scheduled to take place on July 6, 2022.

Update 5/17/2022: Animal Victory has sent 13,501 signatures to ADA Rod Albright.