UPDATE 2:50 p.m.: This story has been updated to reflect the Goshen County Sheriff's Office confirms a suspect has been identified, and that if criminal charges are filed that will be up to the Goshen County Attorney's Office.
The family of two Rottweilers found dead and mutilated in the North Platte River near Torrington says Goshen County Sheriff’s Office representatives have told them someone has turned himself in and admitted to shooting the dogs.
Angelica Garcia, whose parents owned the dogs named Django and Hildy, said that members of the sheriff’s office informed the family on Wednesday that a person had come forward and admitted to shooting the animals.
According to Garcia, investigators declined to identify the suspect, citing concerns for that person's safety.
The case has drawn statewide attention since Friday, when the dogs disappeared after getting loose from their family's property and were later found dead by a mother and her son near a popular fishing area along the North Platte River.
Garcia told Cowboy State Daily on Monday that she believes the dogs were shot with a shotgun.
The family has previously claimed the dogs were shot, their collars removed, and their bodies left in the river. Authorities have not publicly confirmed those allegations.
Goshen County Sheriff Kory Fleenor confirmed Wednesday his office does have a suspect, who is not in custody. His identity isn't being released at this time, and it will be up to the Goshen County attorney to decide if criminal charges are appropriate.
"This was an unfortunate situation for everyone involved," Fleenor said.
Family Says Objection To Online Posts
Garcia said the revelation about the alleged suspect came during a tense conversation with investigators.
According to Garcia, members of the sheriff's office expressed frustration with videos and information the family has shared online about the case and took issue with some of the media coverage surrounding the deaths of Django and Hildy.
She said the sheriff's office expressed frustration with Pamela Garcia for videos and information the family shared online.
"We're not taking anything down," Garcia said.
The deaths of the dogs sparked a wave of public reaction after the family posted photographs and videos online and launched a petition demanding answers about what happened.
$2,500 Reward Offered
As questions continue to surround the case, Animal Wellness Action announced it is offering up to $2,500 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or people responsible for what the organization describes as the unlawful killing of the dogs.
The reward was announced before Garcia said the family learned that someone had allegedly admitted to shooting the animals.
Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action, said he was not aware of any tips submitted to the organization as of this week, but that rewards often motivate witnesses and others with information to come forward.
"The reward really is the driver of that information," Pacelle said. "Once people understand that there's a reward, that is a very important incentive for people to participate in the process of helping law enforcement."
Pacelle said his organization became involved because of what he views as a well-established connection between animal cruelty and broader patterns of violence.
"There's a tremendous link between malicious acts of cruelty and other crimes and other social violence," he said.
Pacelle pointed to research linking animal cruelty to domestic violence and other criminal behavior.
"It's often a precursor or a red flag of someone who is going to commit other acts of violence," he said.
Echoes Of The Cody Roberts Case
Animal Wellness Action and its sister organization, the Center for a Humane Economy, were also involved in the high-profile case of Cody Roberts, the Daniel man who pleaded guilty to felony animal cruelty after chasing down a wolf with a snowmobile and later displaying the severely injured animal in a bar.
Pacelle said the facts in the Torrington case remain unclear and stopped short of directly comparing the two incidents.
Still, he said both cases raise concerns about how animals are treated.
"The common theme is just a contempt for the life of an innocent animal," he said.
Pacelle said the organization hopes the reward and public attention surrounding the case will encourage anyone with information to come forward.
"It does matter a great deal," he said. "People may not be aware of the correlation between animal cruelty and human criminality and violence, and we really want to underscore that."
Kolby Fedore can be reached at kolby@cowboystatedaily.com.
