Florida man arrested for tossing away newborn kittens accused of threatening family member: ‘Dead man walking’

The Brief

  • A Florida man is back in jail without bond after allegedly threatening to kill a family member just days after being released for a kitten cruelty case.
  • Tyler Holtz was previously caught on camera dumping five newborn kittens in a trash can, an act that led to the deaths of four of the animals.
  • Deputies arrested Holtz during a traffic stop after the victim reported receiving text messages describing him as a “dead man walking.”

HAWTHORNE, Fla. Less than a week after a Florida man was accused of throwing five newborn kittens in the trash, he ended up back in jail after deputies said he threatened to kill a family member.

The backstory:

On April 25, 2026, deputies with the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office went to a Hawthorne home after a witness told them she had removed two plastic bags containing five kittens from a trash can after hearing the animals whining inside.

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