NEW HANOVER COUNTY — The New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office have arrested a man who allegedly beat a puppy to death on Christmas Day.
Christopher Anthony Simpson, 21, was arrested on Monday, Jan. 22, on felony charges of animal cruelty. According to the Sheriff’s Office, Simpson is believed to have killed Axel, a yellow Labrador belonging to the family of his girlfriend.
According to Lt. Jerry Brewer, Axel was adopted from the county’s animal services department on Friday, Dec. 1, 2017, by the parents of Simpson’s girlfriend. Several weeks later, on Christmas Day, Simpson was left alone in the family house with the Axel after the family went to visit other relatives and Simpson declined to go.
Simpson allegedly called his girlfriend and told her Axel had urinated on his shoe and he had struck the dog. According to the Sheriff’s Office, Simpson claimed the dog then bit him. At that point, Simpson’s girlfriend left her parents to check on Simpson.
The family later returned home, as Simpson and their daughter were leaving; upon searching the house, they could not find Axel.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, the family called Simpson and their daughter more than once, asking him were the Axel was. Simpson’s girlfriend eventually told them that he had struck the dog harder than intending killing it.
Sheriff’s deputies arrived on the scene and located Axel, deceased, in the backyard. The puppy was taken to Paws and Claws animal clinic, and a post-mortem examination was performed by veterinarian Dr. Sam Smith.
According to Brewer, Smith told deputies the dog had died from repeated blunt force trauma and internal bleeding.
“Dr. Smith told us he had never seen an animal beaten so badly,” Brewer said. “He described the puppy’s liver as ground hamburger.”
Brewer said that Sheriff’s deputies did not believe the puppy had the bite strength to elicit such a reaction from Simpson, leading to the felony charges, based on the seriousness of the injuries that killed Axel.
“If that puppy bit you with all its might, with everything it had, it might have scratched you a bit,” Brewer said.
Three years ago, Simpson was charged with animal cruelty in Brunswick County, but the 2015 charges were dropped. Simpson has currently been released on $2,500 bail.
Simpson will have his first appearance in court Tuesday, Jan. 23, at 2 p.m. in room 100.
Send comments and tips to Benjamin Schachtman at [email protected], @pcdben on Twitter, and (910) 538-2001.
