Persecutors.
You’re guilty until proven innocent. Sad - no motive. No history of abuse. Wife was distraught and sad from losing son and other family members - but prosecutors needed a suspect - bam - husband has to fight and prove innocent. System sucks.
But at least the persecutors had a bottomless checkbook to attack the husband with...
Of course, these local prosecutors are amateurs.
Federal persecutors would have gotten a conviction - and got him to plead guilty to killing his dog, too - whether he'd done it, or not.