Florida man accused of shooting, killing fiancee’s dogs, asking teen to help

DELAND, Fla. — A Florida man is accused of fatally shooting two of his fiancee’s dogs and and trying to convince a teenager to fire one of the fatal shots, authorities said.

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William Petty, 49, of DeLand, was arrested in Port Orange on Sunday and was charged with two counts of felony cruelty to animals, two counts of unlawful disposal of a dead domestic animal, child abuse and carrying a concealed weapon in the commission of a felony, according to Volusia County online booking records.

Petty is being held without bail at the Volusia County Branch Jail, according to online records.

According to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, a 16-year-old boy told deputies that he was at Petty’s home on Saturday, WFTV reported. The teen said that after Petty got into an argument with his fiancee, he loaded up two of her dogs -- a female Catahoula mix named Wheezy and a male dachshund named Mason -- and drove them, along with the teen, to a wooded area in DeLand.

Petty allegedly shot the female dog in the head and then attempted to make the teen shoot the male dog, WFTV reported. When the boy shot into the ground, Petty allegedly took back the gun and fatally shot the dachshund, the television station reported.

According to deputies, Petty tossed the dogs’ bodies into the woods.

Cox Media Group