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River Rouge man arrested for killing dog by setting it on fire

Posted at 6:33 PM, Nov 30, 2016
and last updated 2016-11-30 18:33:03-05

A River Rouge man is now in custody for torturing and killing a dog by setting the pet on fire.

It happened around 9:00 pm Tuesday in a the backyard of a house on James Street. Neighbors were so disgusted and outraged they called police.

“He did resist officers at first, later brought in without incident,” said Detective Sergant Dasumo Mitchell.

The Shi-Tzu named Brandy, had been living with his family for about a year and was only a year old.

The person responsible for the horrific crime got mad at her after she had bitten his son, according to the man’s fiance.

Police say he used some type of accelerant and lit her on fire.

“Animals are just like human beings. They have a right to live also,” said the suspect’s fiancé who did not want to be identified. “Something that is done like that to an animal - it is horrible.”

She told 7 Action News her fiance has been troubled, and was off his medication.

“He loves animals too. He has never hurt an animal. He has never done anything like that. So for just a split second he lost it,” she said. “He’s been dealing with mental issues, illnesses for years now and he just recently had a recent death in his family. So he has been trying to cope with that also. And been trying to get his medication at the same time.”

Right now the suspect is in custody.

It is not clear what charges he will face until the Wayne County Prosecutors office reviews the case.