NEW BRITAIN, Conn. — An accused animal killer was sentenced for the alleged brutal and deadly beating of his dog. 33-year-old Christopher Torres says he’s innocent and that he is the target of lies from vengeful and jealous family members. The arrest warrant, however, tells a different story.
Torres spoke only to FOX61 outside New Britain Superior Court about his dead dog Zero.
"I came home, and he ran away, he was gone," said Torres, of Plymouth. But that’s not what the arrest warrant says. Robin ‘Zilla’ Cannamela is the President of Desmond’s Army Animal Law Advocates. She said Torres, "Murdered his dog Zero for urinating in the house."
Police say in October of 2019 Torres snapped and viscously punched Zero with a metal chain, kicked him into the basement and strangled the two-year-old bull terrier here at his Plymouth apartment. "When you look at the pictures the police showed us there was not a mark on the dog. No broken bones, no anything. So how did he die?" asked Torres.
But police say Torres then dumped the dead dog on the side of the road. Part of the incident was seen by a little boy. "I recoiled," said Cannamela. "It was abominable. And then to have a minor witness it. It’s just so sad."
The animal law advocates of Desmond’s Army came out in numbers to protest and see Torres get the book thrown at him. "We hope to see him get the maximum of five years for his animal cruelty charge." But in the end Torres got one year behind bars. " Angel Lugo is a criminal defense attorney who is not representing Torres but gave FOX61 his legal opinion. "He could have gotten, theoretically if this had gone to trial on all counts, he could have gotten a maximum of 16 years and 3 months," he explained.
Torres took a plea deal. We asked him why he didn’t take it to trial if he claims he’s innocent? "How would I convince six people or 12 people or however big the just is that I didn’t do it when all you people do is just put me on the news," he said.
Torres claims vengeful and jealous family members made up the story. What reason would they have to lie to police? "Quite a few, I guess. Just misery loves company," said Torres. "It brings us anger. It brings us sadness. How can anybody do that to a defenseless animal?" said Cannamela.
Desmond’s Army animal advocates told me they want to see Connecticut strengthen their animal cruelty laws to include harsher sentencing. They claim animal abusers have a greater likelihood of being connected to murders and mass shootings. The judge also ruled that Torres is not allowed to own any other animals.
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