Salem, Ore. — On Friday, May 20, 2022, Salem Police officers arrested a Salem man on animal abuse related charges after multiple reports of the suspicious death of small animals found in a business parking lot over the last week.
On May 12, a patrol officer responded to the call of a pigeon which was decapitated and disemboweled, including graffiti with the word “redrum” near the animal. A few days later, a dead crow was found mutilated in the same manner as the pigeon with more graffiti added. Then on May 19, another officer responded to the same location when a cat was found. The medium-sized cat was beheaded and had other injuries to its body.
Officers were able to develop leads to identify and find the suspect, Micah Smith, age 26, who was arrested and lodged on the charge of first-degree aggravated animal abuse.
Smith is due to be arraigned today at 2:30 p.m. at the Marion County Circuit Court Annex. All further inquiries on this case should be directed to the Marion County District Attorney’s Office.
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