JAMES CAMERON BARNES accused of shooting two cats in the head and hanging them from a public utility line

- Texas, USA -

⚠️WARNING⚠️The article contains graphic pictures⚠️

On June 25, 2026, a McLennan County Grand Jury FINALLY indicted 23-year-old JAMES CAMERON BARNES (pictured), on two felony counts of cruelty to non-livestock animals.

According to the indictment obtained by Voice For Us, on or about May 20, 2025, BARNES murdered two innocent and defenseless cats by shooting them with a pellet gun in their small heads. BARNES then proceeded to hang both furvictims from a public utility line in the 1700 block of South Ninth Street near Baylor University in Waco, McLennan County.

A resident who was driving in the area, Ms. Ciara Dunlap, was alerted to the gruesome scene of the poor felines hanging from the line by her son who was in the car with her.  

The Waco Police Department was alerted and officers responded to the scene along with the Waco Fire Department who took down the cats from the telephone line. Police said each cat was hanging by a piece of string with a shoe attached.

A necropsy performed on the cats revealed that both furvictims were shot before being tied to the shoe and thrown over the utility line.

Tips submitted to the Waco Police Department identified BARNES, a former student at the University of Baylor, as a prime suspect in the case. Furthermore, investigators later received information from two men from the same fraternity as BARNES saying that BARNES had a pellet gun and shot the felines.  

According to the affidavit, after BARNES shot and killed the cats, he brought them to a house on S. 9 Street and he and another individual, recorded each other as they tried to throw the furvictims over the telephone line until they accomplished their sick goal.  

The case was then presented to McLennan County for review and a warrant was issued for BARNES’ arrest. BARNES was taken into custody on May 30, 2025, and released from the McLennan County Jail after posting a $20,000 bond.

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Voice For Us Disclaimer: Please note that details may be removed or new information added should updates become available.

In the case of charges being dropped, dismissed, or the case being purged, this article will be rectified accordingly, if official documentation is provided to Voice For Us.

BARNES’ mugshot provided to Voice For Us by the McLennan County District Attorney's Office.

Photo of the cats shared from the petition by Animal Victory.

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