Please help us petition the Lewis and Clark County Attorney to make sure these men are prosecuted to the fullest! This is such a sad and horrific story. I drive around and see flyers all over of people missing their cats...and I wonder how many were tortured to death by these sick individuals.
This story appeared in the Helena Independent Record, last Friday, September 5th, 2008. This is beyond disturbing, and we want to be sure that this case isn't plea bargained down to the usual slap on the wrist. ~
Three arrested for allegedly killing cats
Independent Record - 09/05/08
Authorities have arrested three Helena men for allegedly torturing and killing about 20 cats, including three that were burned alive. Brandon Wayne Hartford, 26, Andrew Joseph Welch, 20, and Kyle K.Hallowell, 19, each faces a felony charge of aggravated animal cruelty for "burning, stabbing, beating, slaughtering and torturing" the cats,which they hunted in several locations in Helena, East Helena and the Helena Valley, according to documents filed Thursday in Justice Court.
Hartford and Welch, who are both being held in lieu of a $25,000 bond, were taken into custody Wednesday. Hallowell was arrested Thursday morning and his bond will be set today.
According to Lewis and Clark County detectives Larry Platts and Cory Olson, who investigated the killings along with Det. Dennis Nyland, the three men drove around neighborhoods during the night, stalking and hunting stray and pet cats.
The men told investigators that they had killed between 16 and 24 cats.
Investigators said there is no evidence that could identify where the animals came from.
When they located a cat, the men would lure the animal into their car and take it to one of several locations, which included construction sites, wooded areas and the house on the 2800 block of Winslow Avenue where the men have been living.
"These are inhumane acts of cruelty," Sheriff Leo Dutton said. "It shocks the conscience."
The detectives said the men have been killing the animals for at least the past two months.
The alleged crimes apparently began with the men's joint dislike of cats, Platts said. Hartford allegedly started the spree by beating to death a cat that scratched him when he picked it up, Olson said.
The investigation of the men stemmed from witness statements during the investigation of an unrelated report of disorderly conduct earlier in the week, Dutton said.
Officials declined to give more information about that incident because it is still under investigation.
"I am shocked how someone can treat an animal with no way of protecting itself this way and get some gratification from it," Dutton added.
In addition to the cruelty charges, Hartford and Welch both face a felony charge of tampering with or fabricating physical evidence for removing evidence from the crime scene on Winslow Avenue and using bleach in an attempt to clean up blood stains.
Hallowell also was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of obstructing a peace officer.
If anyone is interested in contacting the County Attorney or writing them, along with signing this petition, the information is as follows:
Lewis and Clark County Attorney/Public Administrator Courthouse - 228 Broadway Helena, MT 59601 Phone: (406) 447-8221 E-mail: countyattorney@co.lewis-clark.mt.us
Please help us petition the Lewis and Clark County Attorney to make sure these men are prosecuted to the fullest! This is such a sad and horrific story. I drive around and see flyers all over of people missing their cats...and I wonder how many were tortured to death by these sick individuals.
This story appeared in the Helena Independent Record, last Friday, September 5th, 2008. This is beyond disturbing, and we want to be sure that this case isn't plea bargained down to the usual slap on the wrist. ~
Three arrested for allegedly killing cats
Independent Record - 09/05/08
Authorities have arrested three Helena men for allegedly torturing and killing about 20 cats, including three that were burned alive. Brandon Wayne Hartford, 26, Andrew Joseph Welch, 20, and Kyle K.Hallowell, 19, each faces a felony charge of aggravated animal cruelty for "burning, stabbing, beating, slaughtering and torturing" the cats,which they hunted in several locations in Helena, East Helena and the Helena Valley, according to documents filed Thursday in Justice Court.
Hartford and Welch, who are both being held in lieu of a $25,000 bond, were taken into custody Wednesday. Hallowell was arrested Thursday morning and his bond will be set today.
According to Lewis and Clark County detectives Larry Platts and Cory Olson, who investigated the killings along with Det. Dennis Nyland, the three men drove around neighborhoods during the night, stalking and hunting stray and pet cats.
The men told investigators that they had killed between 16 and 24 cats.
Investigators said there is no evidence that could identify where the animals came from.
When they located a cat, the men would lure the animal into their car and take it to one of several locations, which included construction sites, wooded areas and the house on the 2800 block of Winslow Avenue where the men have been living.
"These are inhumane acts of cruelty," Sheriff Leo Dutton said. "It shocks the conscience."
The detectives said the men have been killing the animals for at least the past two months.
The alleged crimes apparently began with the men's joint dislike of cats, Platts said. Hartford allegedly started the spree by beating to death a cat that scratched him when he picked it up, Olson said.
The investigation of the men stemmed from witness statements during the investigation of an unrelated report of disorderly conduct earlier in the week, Dutton said.
Officials declined to give more information about that incident because it is still under investigation.
"I am shocked how someone can treat an animal with no way of protecting itself this way and get some gratification from it," Dutton added.
In addition to the cruelty charges, Hartford and Welch both face a felony charge of tampering with or fabricating physical evidence for removing evidence from the crime scene on Winslow Avenue and using bleach in an attempt to clean up blood stains.
Hallowell also was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of obstructing a peace officer.
If anyone is interested in contacting the County Attorney or writing them, along with signing this petition, the information is as follows:
Lewis and Clark County Attorney/Public Administrator Courthouse - 228 Broadway Helena, MT 59601 Phone: (406) 447-8221 E-mail: countyattorney@co.lewis-clark.mt.us
We signed the "Men Torture & Kill Cats in Helena, Montana!!" petition!
# 2,092:
5:39 am PST, Mar 2,Ans Perrault, Belgium
Burn these monsters alive!!
# 2,091:
11:35 am PST, Feb 27,Totaro Laura, Belgium
# 2,090:
12:45 am PST, Feb 18,Lisa Marie Tabor, Michigan
# 2,089:
1:30 pm PST, Feb 17,Name not displayed, Montana
# 2,088:
8:40 am PST, Feb 16,Sue Hawkins, Canada
# 2,087:
4:42 pm PST, Jan 28,Faye Andrews, North Carolina
# 2,086:
8:52 am PST, Jan 28,Bobbi Moore, Montana
I have a cat and if she would have been one of the many that got tortured I would be very heart broken. She is my baby and loved very much.
# 2,085:
6:46 am PST, Jan 21,Kathleen Regan, Massachusetts
# 2,084:
10:17 am PST, Jan 19,Joelle Tr, France
# 2,083:
10:47 am PST, Jan 15,S. Andregg, California
# 2,082:
12:01 pm PST, Jan 11,Zara Ivanova, Bulgaria
# 2,081:
11:14 am PST, Jan 10,Mauguy Eric, France
# 2,080:
4:01 am PST, Jan 10,Elisabeth Sammt, Austria
# 2,079:
8:33 am PST, Jan 7,VIER Eva, France
UNE PUNITION EXEMPLAIRE- PRISON ET INTERDICTION DE POSSEDER OU D'APPROCHER UN ANIMAL POUR CES FUTURS KILLERS ...l'HISTOIRE L'A ASSEZ PROUVE TOUS LES TUEURS ONT COMMENCES PAR TORTURES ET TUES DES ANIMAUX- AUCUNE CIRCONSTANCE ATTENUANTE POUR CES TROIS MONSTRES
# 2,078:
12:47 pm PST, Jan 6,Vercknocke Pascal, France
# 2,076:
10:17 am PST, Jan 4,SERGE VANTALON, France
# 2,075:
5:39 pm PST, Jan 3,Annette Weakley, Virginia
these creeps deserve jail time and alot of it. what if they decide they don't like little kids?
# 2,074:
3:37 am PST, Dec 30,Jake Rosales, Australia
# 2,073:
6:34 pm PST, Dec 27,Mauguy Claire, France
These MONSTERS must pay for their crimes !!!
# 2,072:
2:11 pm PST, Dec 27,Sylvie Demers, Cameroon
# 2,071:
7:47 am PST, Dec 22,John Varcho, Ohio
# 2,070:
8:32 am PST, Dec 21,Name not displayed, Ohio
# 2,069:
2:23 am PST, Dec 19,Maya Puerta, France
# 2,068:
12:13 am PST, Dec 19,Andrzej Szaszorowski, Poland
# 2,067:
3:43 pm PST, Dec 18,Pawel Komisarski, United Kingdom
# 2,066:
3:42 pm PST, Dec 18,Magdalena Szaszorowska, United Kingdom
# 2,065:
3:02 pm PST, Dec 15,Name not displayed, Florida
that was just mean don't these men have a life,feelings don't they have a job to attened . now say somebody would do that to them they wouldn't like it .
# 2,064:
8:27 am PST, Dec 15,Annie PEYSSON, France
# 2,063:
8:25 am PST, Dec 15,Name not displayed, France
ces individus doivent être punis, ce sont des monstres et s'ils ne sont pas punis, ils recommenceront.
# 2,062:
2:27 pm PST, Dec 14,Carole BELLEUDY, France
# 2,061:
2:27 pm PST, Dec 14,Nicolas BELLEUDY, France
# 2,060:
2:26 pm PST, Dec 14,Odile HECKMANN, France
# 2,059:
11:50 am PST, Dec 14,Marie-Rose HECKMANN, France
# 2,058:
1:15 pm PST, Dec 11,Diana Soares, Portugal
# 2,057:
2:20 pm PST, Dec 4,Lisa Lewis, North Carolina
# 2,056:
12:32 pm PST, Dec 4,Sonja Nielsen, Denmark
Animal cruelty should be considered a serious crime. People who torture and harm animals, should be punished in a way that messured up with the pain and suffering they've caused. This insanity simply has to stop...
# 2,055:
9:25 am PST, Dec 4,Jean Paulson, California
# 2,054:
10:15 pm PST, Dec 3,Bruce Mikesell, Montana
The acts these men performed reflect totally corrupt values that do not value life.
# 2,053:
3:56 pm PST, Dec 3,Kathleen Williamson, Montana
I wish that these men could feel the torture they inflicted om the cats. Since that isn't possible I want them to have hard, unending physical work with no rests, no water.
