Online postings led police to suspect in cat killings

The Miami Herald ^ | June 15, 2009 | JOSE PAGLIERY, ANDREA ASUAJE AND ROBERT SAMUELS

[Scarchin]

As a teacher I expected him to be the child of divorced parents. The impact divorce has had and continues to have on children and our society is the great untold story of our time.

It needs to be much harder to get married and to get divorced than it is now.

Better than 90% of the troubled students I have are the product of broken homes and the associated dysfunctions.

[gitmogrunt]

I could use him in my neighborhood, we have an epidemic of ferrel-wild cats breeding like crazy.

[Cathy]

That comment was uncalled for, animal cruelty - whether it be to wild or domesticated animals - is sick.

[MARTIAL MONK]

Boy, you in a heap o’ trouble now.

[mdk1960]

Yeah, this guy gouged out the animals eyes and cut off their snouts. For mental issues this is one where you know it will get worse. It almost invariably leads to preying on people, often children.

[Bernard Marx]

The article doesn't mention the evidence against this young man for obvious legal reasons. Maybe the authorities have a strong case. Certainly this kind of depravity occurs and demands serious public concern. Jeffrey Dahmer began as a killer and mutilator of animals.

As I read the article I thought of another explanation for these brutal cat deaths: coyotes. Coyotes are a fairly new predator in Florida (link below) and in suburban settings domestic cats are one of their favorite victims. My California suburb has lots of them and they mutilate cats in the way described. They're especially rough on the domestic cat population in the spring when adults are teaching their new pups to hunt. Since coyotes are relatively new to FL maybe the authorities there aren't familiar with their cat-killing activities.

Here's the link on FL coytes: Florida Coyotes

If the kid is guilty as charged then I hope he gets help and suitable punishment. But I'd hate to see him blamed for the acts of wild animals.

[Scarchin]

If you read the article closely, what happened to these animals was not the result of wild animals.

[Scarchin]

Court records show that Weinman was also arrested May 29 for possession of cannabis.

Again - this kid fits the profile of dozens of kids I've dealt with. The traits are far too common to be a coincidence.

[DJ MacWoW]

It needs to be much harder to get married and to get divorced than it is now.

I disagree. What we have allowed is for the social stigma to be removed from divorcing. It's no big deal to make vows or promises and then break them. It is no longer viewed as dishonorable.

Popular TV shows are an indicator and reflection of our society. On a Christian radio station today, they had a contest. Someone called in and the question was "Name 5 TV fathers". The shows named? Leave it to Beaver, Father Knows Best..................Tim Allen was the only current father anyone could think of. Quite a barometer.

The problem is societal. More regulation won't help.

[DJ MacWoW]

Torturing a living thing is not the answer.

[bgill]

I also suspected it would be a teenage boy who lived between parents since there were two areas of killings. However, I thought it would be a younger teen. Of course there is the obligatory neighbor who just had to rush out with the “oh, he's such a nice boy” excuse even though he'd already been arrested twice as a juvie and once as an adult. The only good thing in this is that he is 18. Hope the judge doesn't wimp out and gives him 6 months for each of the 19 counts to be served consecutively.

[Bernard Marx]

If you read my post closely you’ll see I considered that and left it open as an option. The article also says that some 15 other cat killings may have been caused by “dogs.” Have you ever seen cat remains after coyotes are done with them? I have; it’s gruesome.

[LADY J]

"Since coyotes are relatively new to FL maybe the authorities there aren't familiar with their cat-killing activities."

One of the dead cat's body was 'posed' on the lawn of it's owner. Coyotes do not do this - so based on this evidence, I think the police tracked down the right killer.

The fact that My Face & My Space was mentioned, there must be evidence linking this kid to the crimes.

[gitmogrunt]

"Boy, you in a heap o’ trouble now."

Yeah buddy,....I had a feeling that would bring out the flame throwers..

[DJ MacWoW]

No flames. Torturing an animal because humans didn’t take minimal care and have their animals spayed or neutered is not the right thing to do. There are live traps so they can be caught and humanely euthanized. It’s not the animals fault. Why would you want to cause it pain?

[SamiGirl]

I’d rather be with feral cats then feral people.

[DarthVader]

I have cats and lots of guns too. If this turd would come within 50 yards of of one of mine he would be on the business end of a .357 Magnum and get his head blown clean off.

[Travis T. OJustice]

I have cats and lots of guns too. If this turd would come within 50 yards of of one of mine he would be on the business end of a .357 Magnum and get his head blown clean off.

You'd take a murder charge over cats?

[Glenn]

This child is sick, sick, sick.

I hope he gets the care he needs.

[DarthVader]

It isn’t murder if you make it look like self-defense.