On September 1, 2022, 26-years-old CHRISTOPHER MICHAEL TRUITT (pictured), was ridiculously sentenced in connection with the murder of an innocent and defenseless kitten in 2021.
I will leave the specifics of the sentence for the end, and I am going to start with what TRUITT did.
On December 16, 2021, the Wicomico County Humane Society received a report about an abandoned box on Dixon Road, Salisbury, with a deceased kitten inside.
Director Kim Nock responded to the scene and inside the box, she found a black 6-month-old kitten named Ember.
According to a press release by the Office of the State’s Attorney for Wicomico County, Ember had been recently adopted by TRUITT from the Worcester County Humane Society.
Ember was microchipped and this made possible the identification of TRUITT.
A necropsy performed by the Wicomico Humane Society “revealed Ember's cause of death to be both blunt force trauma and strangulation”, stated the release. The Wicomico County Sheriff's Office conducted and extensive investigation and identified TRUITT “as the person who caused the injuries and ultimately killed Ember.”
TRUITT was convicted of one count of felony animal cruelty and two counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty. For Ember’s murder, the (dis)honorable judge David B. Martz found TRUITT guilty following trial and sentenced him to 180 days in jail with all but 60 days suspended TO BE SERVED ON HOUSE ARREST!
TRUITT was placed on three years of supervised probation and given a $300 fine.
The Office of the State’s Attorney for Wicomico County said that “As a special condition of his sentence, Truitt will be prohibited from owning, possessing, or residing with animals for a period of five years.”
First of all, I firmly believe that prohibiting an animal abuser from owning, possessing, or residing with animals should be included in every sentence and NOT be a special condition!
Secondly, a lifetime ban should be also applied with every sentence!
Thirdly, here is another judge who had a great opportunity to send a clear message that animal cruelty is not tolerated but instead he failed the VOICELESS VICTIM and undermined the efforts of all those who worked to bring this case to court!
I have emailed the Wicomico County Sheriff's Office and requested a picture of Ember.
Should I receive it, I will add it to the article.
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Details may be removed or additional information may be provided in future should such sources report an update.
Another animal abuser gets away with animal cruelty.
As many of you remember, SHAYNA FAYE BURKO (pictured) was arrested in July 2022, after officers with the Vanderburgh County Sherriff’s Office and Vanderburgh County Animal Control found dead dogs and live dogs, in horrific condition, at a home in Evansville.
She was released after posting a meager $500 bond!
This past May this evil female pleaded guilty to seven felony-level counts of cruelty to an animal.
On June 29, 2023, BURKO was generously sentenced to PROBATION, courtesy of Vanderburgh Circuit Court RYAN CHARLES REED!
Vanderburgh County Prosecutor Diana Moers said in a news release that atsentencing the Prosecution alerted the court that BURKO “is in violation of the conditions of her bail, which included a prohibition from animal possession, by giving evidence that she is currently living with animals.”
The release goes on to say that BURKO’s grandmother testified at sentencing that BURKO has a puppy who is a “service dog.”
Whether you believe it or not, a part of the court’s sentencing order is that BURKO “is permitted to live with animals as long as they do not belong to her and that she is permitted keep her purported service dog.”
Prosecutor Moers stated: “The Defendant’s horrific actions are absolutely shocking to the conscience. What is more, this is not her first time and the evidence today from both the prosecution and the defense was that she still has access to animals despite the court previously ordering her not to. I am happy to report that we requested the maximum executed sentence today of four years, noting prior criminal history of the same nature, violation of conditions of bail and the egregiousness of the crime itself. The court found none of those statutorily aggravating circumstances applied and sentenced the Defendant to two years of probation.”
The Vanderburgh County Prosecutor's Office announced that on the afternoon of Wednesday, May 17, 2023, in Vanderburgh County Circuit Court SHAYNA FAYE BURKO (pictured), pleaded guilty to “seven felony-level counts of cruelty to an animal before Magistrate Judge Ryan C. Reed.”
In July 2022, BURKO was arrested after deceased and extremely malnourished dogs were found inside her property. She was released after posting a ridiculous $500 bond!
Prosecutor Diana Moers stated: “Those who abuse or neglect some of the most innocent in our society—animals—will be investigated and face harsh legal consequences. Here, these innocent and completely helpless dogs were counting on the Defendant to take care of them but she left them to suffer and die while she carried on with her own life. I am thankful for the citizen heroes who called the police in this case as well as animal control and the deputies who were able to remove the remaining living dogs from this house of horrors and bring them to safety. It is my prayer that these dogs find loving homes and healing.”
Well, BURKO has a date with Judge Ryan C. Reed in Vanderburgh Circuit Court on June 29, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. for sentencing. Let’s see how “harsh” her legal consequences will be!
Let me remind you that BURKO has a prior conviction in Warrick County for Cruelty to an Animal.
The Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of 27-years-old SHAYNA FAYE BURKO (pictured).
In a press release the sheriff’s office said that on the morning of Saturday, July 9, 2022, deputies along with Vanderburgh County Animal Control were dispatched to a home on 3122 Mooring Road to conduct a welfare check on the animals who were living at the property.
The sheriff’s office said the animals “had been left unattended for a prolonged period of time.”
From outside, deputies could smell a foul odor of something rotting inside the home and when they peered through a window, “they could visibly see excess amounts of feces, urine, and trash on the floor of the home” stated the release.
Officials also saw several dogs who were inside who appeared “malnourished, in distress, and lethargic.”
A search warrant was obtained and executed at the residence and Animal Control removed five dogs who were found to be living covered with fleas and feces.
Officers found "a deceased German Shepard inside a closed kennel and a detached head of a dog both found in the living room. In the hallway, officers found a detached dog limb. There were five living dogs inside the residence, and one of them was missing a paw different from the limb found in the hallway."
From witnesses on the scene, officials learned that BURKO “had not been to the house for several weeks.”
Deputies were able to locate BURKO with the assistance of the Warrick County Sheriff’s Office and took her into custody.
When BURKO was interviewed, she admitted that she was aware the dogs were there and that she failed to care for them.
According to the sheriff’s office “there is also a second person of interest under investigation.”
BURKO was released from the Vanderburgh County Jail after posting a meager $500 bond, but that’s not all that infuriates me!
The Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office said in the press release that the female “has a prior conviction in Warrick County for Cruelty to an Animal.”
As I always say, animal abusers are toxic and toxic people do not change, they only change their victims.
The law will continue to allow scum like BURKO to take innocent lives because they do not experience the identical suffering inflicted on the VOICELESS VICTIMS.
Lawmakers, you do realize that the death of these dogs is on you!?
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Details may be removed or additional information may be provided in future should such sources report an update.
On Thursday, January 12, 2023, in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court, 29-years-old GEORGE WILLIAM PANNO III (pictured) pleaded guilty to a charge of cruelty to companion animals, a fifth-degree felony before Judge Anthony Donofrio.
PANNO’s plea came just before jurors were to hear closing arguments in his trial.
Prosecutors said that on April 8, 2022, PANNO took his girlfriend’s dog named Diesel, to a wooded area in North Jackson, and shot the furbaby three times.
WKBN was in court and reports that “prosecutors are seeking a two-year sentence, one year for the charge as well as one year for the firearm specification." Prosecutors additionally want PANNO banned from ever owning an animal. PANNO’s defense attorney, Frank Cassese, said his client is “disagreeable” to that.
I truly hope that PANNO’s disagreement will NOT be taken into consideration! What does he need animals for since he kills them!?
Sentencing will take place after a pre-sentencing investigation.
PANNO is also serving a prison sentence of up to four and a half years on an unrelated case out of Trumbull County Common Pleas Court and prosecutors want the animal cruelty sentence to run consecutive to the one PANNO is serving in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court. Cassese also said he will argue at sentencing that his client serves the prison time concurrent with his other sentence.
On May 12, a Mahoning County Grand Jury has indicted 29-years-old GEORGE WILLIAM PANNO (pictured) on two felony charges of cruelty to companion animals with a firearm specification.
PANNO is accused of shooting and killing his dog, Diesel, on April 8, 2022.
Back in April, the Animal Charity of Ohio wrote in a Facebook post that PANNO had driven with Diesel from Struthers to North Jackson, he then walked Diesel into the woods, shot him three times, and walked away. According to the Animal Charity of Ohio, none of the gunshots instantly killed Diesel, but he was left to die in pain while bleeding.
Thankfully, a witness saw PANNO going into the woods with Diesel, heard gunshots, and then saw PANNO walking out of the woods alone.
The witness called 911 and within minutes the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office and a Humane Agent with the Animal Charity of Ohio responded to the scene.
PANNO was still there.
At the time, Animal Charity of Ohio wrote in a Facebook post: “Diesel’s body is now in our care and we will do everything to get justice for him. 💔
Charges will be filed once the necropsy and investigation is complete.”
Voice For Us Disclaimer: This story is sourced from official news outlets. Links included.
Details may be removed or additional information may be provided in future should such sources report an update.
