BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. (WFLA) – A man was arrested over the weekend after a Florida homeowner made a horrifying discovery in his mailbox.
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office said deputies responded to the Carnouch Courthouse home in Bonita Springs on Thursday, March 13th.
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The LCSO Animal Cruelty Task Force was sent to the scene to support the area for evidence. It didn’t take long for detectives to identify potential suspects, according to the sheriff’s office.
Deputies said various investigative tools, including license plate readers, helped place Robert James Luther III, 37, into the community at the same time that the crime was committed.
Investigators discovered Luther was fishing behind a business that was closed in the Corporation Circle later that day, but when questioned, authorities said Luther had invoked his rights and refused to speak to them.
As their investigation continued, detectives were able to collect DNA samples and execute multiple search warrants.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, Luther filmed multiple videos, where he mentioned and portrayed the cat he had died.
The detectives have established a possible cause for Luther to arrest him for aggravated animal cruelty of two counts and aggravated stalker of two counts.
Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marcheno called the incident “sick” in a statement posted on social media on Saturday.
“Heiritty and violent conduct, especially against innocent animals, is unacceptable and all offenders will face serious consequences to the fullest extent of the law,” Marseno said. “The combined efforts of multiple units ensured that an individual with the disease was trapped behind the bar before injuring others. From the initial call taken by the dispatcher to the investigative work carried out by the Fourth School Patrol Councillor and Crime Section Detectives and the Animal Cruelty Task Force, this result was a success!”
