- Nevada, USA -
Authorities in Las Vegas arrested 37-years-old DIEGO GONZALEZ (pictured), accused of stealing a family dog, killing him, and dumping him in the desert.
GONZALEZ has a construction company, Gonzalez Flooring, and on Tuesday, June 6, along with his employees, he was doing some work at a home near South Rainbow Boulevard and West Warm Springs Road.
The homeowner, Mr. Mohan Gumatay, told police that the workers told him his dog, a 10-year-old English Bulldog named Bamboo, ran out an open gate.
Nearby homes’ surveillance cameras, however, captured GONZALEZ and at least one other worker taking Bamboo and putting him in GONZALEZ’s white truck. Footage further showed that Bamboo was left in the vehicle with the windows up and the doors closed for at least five minutes.
On the evening of the same day, GONZALEZ was caught on video driving his truck to an empty lot in a desert field near Abels Lane where Bamboo’s lifeless body was found on Wednesday, June 8.
8 News Now reports that police collected surveillance video from the area and the timestamp on the video showed Bamboo’s body was dumped approximately 3 and a half hours after he was stolen from his home and family.
Mr. Gumatay said GONZALEZ’s wife called him and offered him $5,000 if she could not return the dog. Bamboo’s dad declined the money and said he wanted Bamboo to be brought back home.
When GONZALEZ was questioned by police, he said he wanted to bring Bamboo to his children.
He said he believed Bamboo died in the truck.
A necropsy “ruled that Bamboo died of respiratory distress and likely faced some sort of blunt trauma before his death”, reports Las Vegas Review-Journal.
GONZALEZ was arrested on Tuesday, June 21, and charged with willful and malicious torture or killing of a dog and grand larceny over $1,200.
He was released from Clark County Detention Center on Thursday, June 23, after posting a $3,000 bond and a date was set to appear in court on July 21, 2022.
According to 8 News Now, a second arrest has been made in this case but the name of the second arrestee was not disclosed.
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Most of the pictures were shared from Angelika Schmeing’s Facebook account, Bamboo’s mom.
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