A rivalry among people caring for feral cats led to fatal shooting, Lexington PD says
A dispute between rival feral cat caretakers turned deadly Thursday in Lexington, police said.
A man shot a woman in the face behind the Town Square shopping center on the 700 block of West Main Street near downtown Lexington, according to the town’s police department.
The shooting was preceded by a dispute over feeding cats and possibly a kitten, police said.
The Lexington County Coroner’s Office identify the victim as 72-year-old Judy Dyanne Burnett of Gilbert, South Carolina.
The Lexington Police Department arrested and charged 49-year-old Sean Eric Malahy with murder and weapon possession.
About 5 p.m. Thursday, Burnett, Malahy and an unidentified person with Malahy crossed paths while they checked on a colony of feral cats that live behind the shopping center, the department said. An argument started between Burnett and the unidentified person, possibly about a kitten, according to Sgt. Cameron Mortenson.
Malahy became involved in the dispute, police said. The argument turned into a physical fight between Malahy and Burnett. Malahy brandished a pistol and shot Burnett, according to investigators.
Police rushed to the scene in response to the shooting at about 5:40 p.m. Paramedics took Burnett to the hospital, where medical staff pronounced her dead, the coroner’s office said.
Officers detained Malahy, who they found at the scene with a handgun. They took him back to the station for an interview but he declined to speak with detectives, according to the department.
Through their investigation and speaking with the unidentified witness, police discovered that the witness, Malahy and Burnett had a years-long dispute over feeding, trapping and releasing feral cats in Lexington County, police said.
Police jailed Malahy at the Lexington County Detention Center where he’s awaiting a bond hearing.
Lexington County Sheriff’s Department assisted in the investigation.
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This story was originally published December 4, 2020 at 2:22 PM.