What to Know
- A NY man was sentenced to prison for stabbing an 18-month-old pitbull to death after the dog’s owner left the pet in his care, DA says
- Stephen Richardson, 34, of the Bronx, was sentenced to one year in prison Friday after pleading guilty to aggravated cruelty to animals
- According to prosecutors, Richardson admitted during the investigation that he stabbed Onyx; Vets said the dog was stabbed at least 55 times
A New York man was sentenced to prison for brutally stabbing an 18-month-old pitbull to death after the dog’s owner left the pet in his care, prosecutors say.
Stephen Richardson, 34, was sentenced to one year in prison Friday after pleading guilty to aggravated cruelty to animals, according to the Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark.
Under the plea deal, which was extended to Richardson by the Bronx Supreme Court over the objections of prosecutors, Richardson, of the Bronx, is also barred from owning an animal for 10 years and must register with the NYC Animal Abuse Registry, Clark said.
“The defendant mercilessly stabbed the dog, Onyx, more than 50 times and also slit his throat. We had recommended the maximum two-year sentence because of the disturbing level of violence,” Clark said.
According to the investigation, on Dec. 29, 2017, Richardson was allegedly caring for Onyx in his apartment and had been doing so for roughly six months, prosecutors say.
Allegedly, Onyx’s owner frequently passed by Richardson’s apartment to check on the dog, but this time found the pooch dead in the bathtub a result of multiple stab wounds, including to the face and neck.
Local
The Bronx District Attorney’s Office says that Richardson admitted to stabbing Onyx in a park because the dog bit him.
According to veterinarians, Onyx died of at least 55 stab wounds.
