SELINSGROVE, Pa. — State Police have charged a Juniata County man with shooting and killing his daughter's dog while she was on vacation.
Steven Redd, 54, of Selinsgrove, is charged with a felony count of aggravated cruelty to animals and misdemeanor counts of possession of a weapon, tampering with evidence, and cruelty to animals, according to charging documents.
Police began investigating on August 19, when the dog's owner contacted authorities to report her father had shot the dog.
Responding officers spoke to two victims, one of whom reported that Redd offered to watch her dog, which was named Gunner, while she and the other victim went on vacation to the beach.
On August 18, the victim reported, Redd called her and claimed the dog had bit him and one of their puppies. He allegedly made a verbal threat to kill the dog, and later sent the victim a photo of himself holding a knife toward the dog.
Shortly before midnight on August 18, Redd called again and told the victim that Gunner ran off, the victim later told police.
The victims returned home from vacation to look for the dog, but were unable to find him, according to police. They then returned to their vacation, police said.
The next day, a witness called one of the victims to report they had found the dog dead in the woods near the victims' home. The dog appeared to have been killed by a gunshot, police said.
The witness shared text messages Redd sent to the victims, where he allegedly threatened to shoot the dog, and at one point alluded to shooting one of the victims, according to police.
The victims later shared surveillance video of their home taken on the night of August 18. In the video, Redd can be seen walking on the porch holding a handgun. Gunner can be seen in the video standing in front of the porch before running off.
At that point, police said, Redd is seen pointing the weapon in the direction the dog fled, and a muzzle flash is visible.
About 40 minutes later, video shows Redd taking a hose out into the yard, near where the dog was believed to have been shot.
A second witness reported to police that they heard Redd threaten to stab the dog after he had been bitten.
Redd was charged on September 30.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for October 23, according to court records.
