A Punta Gorda man is behind bars without bond after Charlotte County deputies say surveillance video captured him beating a six-week-old puppy to death, then burying her in his backyard. Neil R. Puterbaugh, 53, was arrested Tuesday night at his home, accused of striking the female puppy more than 20 times.
Detectives with the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office’s Strategic Targeted Area Response Unit took Puterbaugh into custody at approximately 8 p.m. on Sept. 15, according to the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office. The arrest came just two days after detectives received a tip video, and investigators say video footage obtained during their probe reportedly showed Puterbaugh hitting the puppy around 25 to 30 times while she was still alive, according to Gulf Coast News and Weather. Deputies also said the footage showed him dragging the puppy by her tail.
A Tip That Triggered a Two-Day Investigation
The case began Sept. 13, when local television station WINK News received a submitted crime tip containing the abuse footage and forwarded it to Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office detectives, per WENG Radio. Over the following two days, detectives worked to establish probable cause, gathering evidence before deploying the STAR Unit for the arrest.
During a search of Puterbaugh’s home following the arrest, investigators recovered multiple additional videos depicting previous acts of abuse against the puppy, the sheriff’s office said, indicating a pattern of mistreatment before the animal’s death. A friend of Puterbaugh’s said the puppy died the same day she was brought home, according to Gulf Coast News and Weather’s report, while another witness told the outlet the puppy had been donated to Puterbaugh to help him cope with his girlfriend’s death.
Puterbaugh’s Statements to Investigators
In a post-arrest interview at the CCSO District 4 office on Sept. 15, Puterbaugh admitted to striking the puppy and told detectives that he “went too far,” per FOX 13 Tampa Bay. Gulf Coast News and Weather reported that Puterbaugh confirmed there was a puppy in the house and said the animal was sick, though he reportedly denied hitting her before later confessing. He also told investigators the dog had to go “to cleanse the house,” the outlet reported, and said he had notified a witness that the puppy had died before burying her in his backyard. Deputies said Puterbaugh reportedly asked to speak with them.
Held Without Bond, Charged With a Felony
Puterbaugh was booked into Charlotte County Jail on a probation violation alongside the felony aggravated animal cruelty charge and is being held without bond, FOX 13 Tampa Bay reported. He faces a charge of cruelty to an animal by torture or inflicting pain, serious physical injury or death, per Gulf Coast News and Weather…