ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — A St. Johns County man was arrested on multiple felony charges, including aggravated animal cruelty, after deputies accused him of killing his dog and unlawfully disposing of the animal’s remains, says the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office.
According to SJSO, on August 25, deputies responded to the 3000 block of Ninth Street in Elkton after receiving calls reporting gunshots near 34-year-old Jake Matthew’s home. While deputies initially found nothing suspicious, they returned to the area the next day after the remains of a decapitated adult female dog were discovered in a vacant lot on Tenth Street.
St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office Property Crimes detectives executed the first search warrant at Matthew’s residence following the discovery on Tenth Street. During the search, investigators located additional mutilated dog remains, a gun cleaning kit with gun oil, a pistol storage box and several related accessories. No firearm was recovered during the search. Matthew is a convicted felon and is legally prohibited from possessing firearms.
Detectives executed a second search warrant at the property on Sept. 2. During that search, investigators located several 9mm shell casings in the backyard near the area where the dog’s remains had been found, as well as a fired bullet embedded in a tree trunk. Detectives also found two dead cats on the property and seized two adult male dogs, eight puppies and two piglets.
A necropsy conducted by the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine determined that the dog, identified as Matthew’s adult female dog named Daisy, was shot multiple times at close range. Based on the evidence gathered, detectives believe Matthew killed Daisy in his backyard using a 9MM handgun.
The other charges Matthew faces are Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, False Report to Law Enforcement, Unlawful Disposal of a Dead Animal, and Using an Animal to Fight or Bait.
Matthew was arrested Sept. 17 and booked into the St. Johns County Jail, where he remains in custody on a $45,750 bond.
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