SC man tossed puppy into fire in gruesome incident broadcast on Facebook, authorities say
An Orangeburg County man is facing multiple criminal charges after authorities say he burned alive a woman’s dog Wednesday during a domestic dispute.
Desmond Brown, 28, of Norway, allegedly tossed the pit bull puppy into a fire while the woman was burning his clothes, Orangeburg County Sheriff Leroy Ravenell said in a statement.
The dog’s gruesome death was broadcast live on Facebook, according to a police report.
“I’ve seen some extremely despicable and disgusting things in my career,” Ravenell said in a statement, “but this is one of the worst.”
Sheriff’s investigators responded to Brown’s Norfield Drive home Wednesday morning after receiving reports of a domestic dispute during which he allegedly threw a woman’s dog into a fire, police reports state.
Both Brown and the woman initially denied the animal abuse and investigators were unable to find the dog’s remains, the sheriff’s office said.
While searching for the dog, however, investigators found two Dodge Chargers on the property that had been reported stolen, Ravenell said. The woman, who lives at the property, told investigators Brown had said they were his vehicles.
Later that day, investigators obtained video of the dog being burned alive and confirmed it was deceased, the sheriff’s office said in its statement.
Brown, who was arrested Thursday, was charged with ill treatment of animals, two counts of domestic violence, two counts of possession of a stolen vehicle and one count of receiving stolen goods/chop shop, court records show.
A judge ordered him held without bond, Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Richard Walker said.