Austin Police are looking for a 26 year old man accused of drowning his former girlfriend's puppy after she asked him to move out.

Video

KVUE's Shelton Green reports

>More KVUE News Video

• View larger
• E-mail clip
• More video

Search Video:

> > >

Cecil Leary, who also goes by Trey, is charged with Cruelty to Animals, a state jail felony.

Detectives said Leary was staying with 19 year old Henrietta Ogwuegbu at her northeast Austin apartment in the 8800 block of North Plaza.

In August the 19 year old woman apparently asked Leary to move out.

"She gained some knowledge about him being violent with somebody else, which I'm sure she feared. So that's why she asked him to leave", said Senior Austin Police Patrol Officer Veneza Aguinaga.

On August 5th police said Leary retaliated against the 19 year old owner of the puppy by first spray painting derogatory phrases all over her walls.

Detectives said Leary then grabbed the woman's puppy in a crate, submerged the crate in a bathtub full of water and placed a television set on top of the crate, so it wouldn't float in the tub drowning the animal.

"A coward,” that’s what a neighbor who didn’t want to be identified called Leary. “I think you're pretty low to do something to an innocent animal. What's he going to do to a person?"

"I mean you're harming something. There was no need for that. I mean it is retaliation I'm sure, but why?" questioned another neighbor who said she saw the couple with the puppy on numerous occasions.

Austin police released a mug shot of Leary from a previous arrest but officers wouldn't disclose the nature of that arrest.

Cecil Leary also goes by "Trey" and anyone who sees him is encouraged to call 911.

"Anybody that can do something violent to a person or an animal or anybody else is definitely considered dangerous", added Officer Aguinaga.

Cecil Leary is facing up to two years in jail and a $10,000.00 fine if convicted.