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Colorado National Monument Rangers Charge Man in Connection With Dog Killed By Dragging

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A 37-year-old Colorado man was arrested Thursday in connection with the dragging death of a dog at Colorado National Monument.

A release from the monument said rangers arrested Steven Clay Romero, of Grand Junction, Colorado,at approximately 12:25 p.m. in Mesa County (Colorado) Courthouse. Mr. Romero was charged initially with a felony charge of aggravated cruelty to animals, the release said.

Park rangers believe the man took the dog, Buddy, a German Shepherd-Blue Heeler mix, stolen by others from Delta, Colorado, to Colorado National Monument in the early morning hours of December 30 and attached him to his truck and dragged him for 2 miles up the west hill of Rim Rock Drive with a rope tied around the dog's neck. The dog died of strangulation and was dumped at the roadside, the park said. A National Park Service employee discovered the gruesome scene at 4:30 a.m. on December 30.

A crime tip line was initiated and the tips received were key in leading park rangers and other law enforcement personnel to the suspect. Mr. Romero was appearing in court in Grand Junction on Thursday on other, unrelated, charges and was arrested as he exited the courtroom, the park release said.

The investigation is continuing and additional information will be provided when it becomes available.

Comments

IF he's guilty, there can't be a penalty strong enough for anyone who does this to an animal.


I suppose "an eye for an eye" as the Biblical guidelines state would be too much to ask......
I CANNOT EVEN fathom the thought process that led to this despicable act.


Luther, unfortunately I thought about the same scene from National Lampoons Vacation when I read the original article. The big difference though is that I didn't laugh cause I have a heart. Laughing at a crime like this is almost just as bad as committing it. I'm glad that they caught the guy so quickly.


I am so glad he was caught! I hope the punishment is severe. How can anyone be so cruel!


It is hard to have compassion for a pathetic loser such as this person. To take a poor innocent creature that had done nothing to him and subject it to such cruelty makes this piece of trash sub-human. Even if the dog had bit him, it still did not deserve to be treated in such an abhorrent manner. Anyone who subject an animal to such violence will also treat children and partners the same. I hope he has not, and never, procreates; that would be truly a tragedy!


Looks like good police work involved in this case. I would like to know what other crimes Mr. Romero was charged with. If convicted, let the crime fit the punishment harshly.
The harsher...the better!


if found guilty, give him to me. i will drag him back to michigan for you ! please keep us all informed of trial results. if the judge lets him off with anything less than the maximum, i will be glad to drag the judge back to michigan too !


the article says "stolen by others". did they catch these "others"? i hope so. and i hope they too get the maximum punishment allowed by law.


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