Lovelady Man Jailed on Animal Cruelty Charges

By Will Johnson
Messenger Reporter

LOVELADY – A Lovelady man is in the Houston County Jail after he allegedly shot and killed his neighbor’s pet on Thursday, April 27.

Jesse Lynn Collier, 31, was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and cruelty to non-livestock animals / torture after Houston County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to the 700 block of Nelms Street in Lovelady in reference to a dog being shot.

According to an affidavit of probable cause, when the HCSO deputies arrived at the location, they were met by the complainant.

The complainant stated “… she observed the defendant (Collier) standing in the roadway in front of her house and described the defendant to be wearing a long tee shirt and shorts, with long hair to his shoulders and wearing glasses.”

The complainant informed the deputies she went to see what he was doing and noticed a pistol in Collier’s hand, the probable cause document stated.

“(The complainant) witnessed the defendant point and aim the pistol at her neighbor’s brown, black and white full blooded Basset Hound and fire two rounds, shooting and killing it. The dog was in a ditch while being shot and the defendant was in the middle of the roadway. The complainant asked the defendant ‘Did you just kill that dog?’ and he stated, ‘Yes. It needed to die,’” the affidavit reported.

The affidavit went on to state Collier then dragged the dog across several neighboring yards to his residence at 250 Pinewood Dr., dug a hole and buried the dog.

At this point, the affidavit indicated the complainant made contact with law enforcement officials.

As the deputies began their investigation, the affidavit reported they “… observed a blood trail where the dog was dragged through other properties and observed the fresh dirt spot where the defendant had buried the dog.”

Under questioning from the deputies, the affidavit stated Collier admitted to walking down the road and shooting the dog while he stood in the middle of the street and the dog was in the ditch.

“The defendant advised that he shot the dog because first the dog had sh*t in his yard and also because the dog appeared to be sick due to its eye ball hanging out and discolored and it had a hurt leg,” the affidavit indicated.

The report further stated the complainant informed the deputies the dog could often be seen playing / relaxing in the ditch and was not “… and has not been aggressive to anyone at all.”

After observing blood on Collier’s clothing, witnessing the site where the dog was buried and recovering a .22 handgun from his residence, the report stated Collier was arrested and transported to the Houston County Jail where he still remains.

He was booked into confinement on one count of disorderly conduct for discharging a weapon within the city limits, a Class B misdemeanor. He was also charged with cruelty to non-livestock animals/torture, a state jail felony.

According to Section 12.35 of the Texas Penal Code, “An individual adjudged guilty of a state jail felony shall be punished by confinement in a state jail for any term of not more than two years or less than 180 days. In addition to confinement, an individual adjudged guilty of a state jail felony may be punished by a fine not to exceed $10,000.”

Bond for Collier had not been set as of press time.

Will Johnson may be reached via e-mail at [email protected].