BUCKEYE, AZ. – A Buckeye man is behind bars for beheading and mutilating his former roommate’s dog.
Jose Vega Meza, 21, is facing animal cruelty and unrelated assault charges after the dog’s owner was moving from a home in the 500 block of West Baseline Road on Saturday, June 15, 2019. She was unable to locate her dog and according to the news release, was still unable to locate her dog at 10:00 p.m.
The woman and her friends noticed Meza loading a small box into the truck she was using for her move. When asked about the box and its contents he just smiled, police said. The dog’s owner opened the box and found her deceased dog badly mutilated and beheaded. Meza stood by as she opened the box and smiled and laughed when she discovered her dog inside.
The woman did not report the incident until the following morning. Meza was located walking in the area.
Police learned through investigation that the dog’s owner owed money to Meza’s mother who owned the home. Meza said that he killed her dog because of the money owed. Meza also admitted to killing a cat by pouring boiling hot water on it, then beating it to death. As he described the killings to authorities he laughed. He refused to tell police where the dog’s head was hidden. Meza was booked into jail for two counts of animal cruelty for the killing of the dog.
When he was booked into jail, he assaulted an inmate using his handcuffs causing injury. He is now also facing assault charges for the unprovoked attack.
