top of page

ALL POSTS

Search

AARON RICE, dog trainer, arrested and nineteen dogs removed from a Will County home

- Illinois, USA -


On March 27, 2025, 36-year-old AARON RICE (pictured), turned himself into the Will County Sheriff’s Office on charges of aggravated cruelty to animals, cruelty to animals, and violating owners duties.


Prosecutors say RICE ran a dog training business from his home in the 100 block of Willow Bend Drive.

According to prosecutors, a woman had contracted RICE for a four-week training program and on January 23, 2025, she handed over to him her Great Dane named Freya.

While Freya was in RICE’s care, her mom kept asking RICE for pictures and updates on her training progress but never received any.


On January 31, 2025, RICE contacted Freya’s mom to tell her that Freya was not eating. He did not disclose the whole truth; he just said that Freya was having difficulty standing.


On the same day, Freya was taken to an emergency hospital in critical condition. Veterinarians reported that her condition suggested she had been starved and confined in a space too small for her size.


The Bolingbrook Police Department was alerted and officers were dispatched to RICE’s home to investigate possible animal cruelty.


Following an investigation, a search warrant was obtained and executed on March 14, 2025. The search led to the discovery of nineteen (19) dogs who were removed and taken to the police animal care facility.


Police told Voice For Us most of the dogs showed “signs of malnourishment” and specifically “two adult dogs and five puppies were taken to a local veterinarian for various injuries and signs of possible infection.”


On March 19, 2025, a warrant was issued for RICE’s arrest. At the time of writing, online records show that RICE is being held into the Will County Adult Detention Facility. According to court records, RICE’s preliminary hearing is set for April 10, 2025, at 9:00 a.m.

###


Voice For Us Disclaimer: This story is sourced from information received by the Bolingbrook Police Department. 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.


RICE’s mugshot provided to Voice For Us by the Will County Sheriff’s Office


ree


 
 
 

THOMAS WILLIAM MARTEL accused of torturing and murdering innocent kittens

- Illinois, USA -


⚠️WARNING⚠️The article contains details some of you may find distressing⚠️


~Update: March 23, 2025


THOMAS WILLIAM MARTEL (pictured) is now facing three additional charges totaling nine.


On March 21, 2025, MARTEL appeared in Skokie Circuit Court. Prosecutors announced that MARTEL is now facing nine felony charges, which include five counts of animal torture and four counts of aggravated cruelty to animals.


His bond is set at $75,000, and he is due back in court on April 8, 2025.



~ Original story:


Court documents obtained by Voice For Us state that on the morning of Monday, July 10, 2023, 22-years-old THOMAS WILLIAM MARTEL (pictured) walked into the 014 District Police Station with his attorney, Brandon E. Brown to turn himself in for incidents related to the death of multiple kittens.


MARTEL, a roofer, is accused of torturing and killing several kittens since May 2023, and replacing every deceased cat with a new one who looked like the previous one, so that his mother would not get suspicious.


The Voiceless Victims were purchased from Craigslist and each new one was named Shelly. All the furvictims were Tabby cats with a distinctive M-shaped marking on their tiny foreheads and stripes on their faces and backs.


The kittens were murdered in various ways, including but not limited to drowning, being placed in a microwave, mutilation with a sharp object, and squeezing. MARTEL murdered the kittens at his home in the 1500 block of North Wicker Park Avenue.


MARTEL’s girlfriend reported him to police after she received a video showing MARTEL throwing a pillowcase into Lake Michigan with a kitten inside.

The girlfriend told police that on May 26, 2023, MARTEL invited her to his home to see his new cats, an adult male named Reggie, and a kitten whom he named Shelly. On June 3, 2023, while under the influence of narcotics, MARTEL drowned the new kitten in a tub of water. He then pulled the unresponsive furbaby out and proceeded to give him/her CPR by using his thumb to perform chest compressions. The following day, MARTEL said the kitten needed more chest compressions, so he took the furbaby to the bathroom only to come back out to say Shelly was dead.


According to the girlfriend’s statement, MARTEL threw the deceased kitten down his trash chute and then went back on Craigslist and bought another Tabby, whom he named Shelly.


On June 5, 2023, MARTEL told his girlfriend he wanted to teach the new kitten how to swim, so he took the furbaby into the bathroom. A few hours later, MARTEL took from the pantry a bag that had inside what appeared to be a kitten. MARTEL then told his girlfriend the body of the latest kitten was inside the bag before tossing him/her down the trash chute.


The girlfriend said on June 18, 2023, she went through MARTEL’s phone and found pictures and videos of him torturing the last cat and one of the videos showed the fourth Shelly while she was still alive with the caption “just before I murdered her.”


On June 23, 2023, MARTEL told his girlfriend he had microwaved three kittens and showed her the bag in his pantry. That evening she alerted the authorities.

The girlfriend told police that MARTEL told her he “enjoyed killing cats and he had been like that since he was eight years old.”


Prosecutors have charged this sick and filthy murderer with two felony counts of animal torture and four felony counts of aggravated cruelty to animals.


On Tuesday, July 11, 2023, at MARTEL’s bond hearing, Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney Sarah Dale-Schmidt laid out the graphic and horrific details to Cook County Circuit judge Kelly McCarthy. To that, judge McCrthy returned: “We’re seeing a pattern of going back again and again. Killing an animal, going out and get a replacement. Kill that one, get a replacement. Kill that one, get a replacement. And, unfortunately, this was allowed to continue for a sustained period of time and numerous animals lost their lives.”


And yet, judge McCarthy released the murderer after posting $75,000 bond. One of the conditions is that MARTER is required to wear an electronic monitor and may not have any contact with animals.


MARTEL is scheduled to appear back in court on Monday, July 17, 2023, at 9:30 a.m.


MARTEL’s attorney told the court that his client was planning to start a new mental health treatment. In his arrestee questionnaire, MARTEL checked “yes” for serious mental health problems and stated, “He takes medication for mental condition.”


As I was reviewing MARTEL’s court documents I noticed that his bond papers were signed by his father. I wonder how it is possible that this filth acted undisturbed while he continued to murder innocent kittens!


###


Voice For Us Disclaimer: Details may be removed or additional information may be provided in future should such sources report an update.


MARTEL’s mugshot shared from the Cook County Sheriff’s Office






 
 
 

ANITA DAMODARAN arrested in Florida on a warrant from Chicago Police for animal cruelty

- Florida/Illinois, USA -


⚠️WARNING⚠️The article contains pictures some of you may find distressing⚠️


On the afternoon of December 10, 2024, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office arrested 38-year-old ANITA DAMODARAN (pictured) on a warrant from the Chicago Police Department for counts of animal cruelty.


In a press release the sheriff’s office said that DAMODARAN was taken into custody at a residence off of Barbados Isle Drive in Tampa.

DAMODARAN was booked into the Orient Road Jail and the Chicago Police Department will extradite her to Illinois.


It all started back in March 2024, with a phone call to the Hinsdale Humane Society after two women found a dog named Betty “in a Chicago residence, locked in a plastic container—the kind you store Christmas decorations in—with crates stacked on top”, said the organization in a press release.


Given the condition Betty was found in, the Good Samaritans rushed her to MedVet Chicago.


One of Betty’s rescuers recounted the moments of the heartbreaking discovery, “When the two crates were removed, we stopped in our tracks because we suddenly saw the lid pop off and a tiny paw reach out. We thought it was a container of stuffed animals. Then the lid fell completely off and out came a matted creature staring at us in despair, with eyes that were stoic and unblinking. It took at least 30 seconds, although it felt like eternity, for us to realize that this was a dog close to its last breath.”


The Hinsdale Humane Society said in a Facebook post that Betty, now renamed Boots, is living her best life because of those who kindly donated toward her medical care.


Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said: “We remain committed to collaborating with our law enforcement partners to ensure that those who commit acts of cruelty are held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. Our dedication extends to seeking justice for the most vulnerable members of our community, innocent victims who cannot speak for themselves.”

# # #


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.


DAMODARAN’s mugshot shared from the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office


Boots’ pictures shared from the Hinsdale Humane Society’s press release and Facebook post






 
 
 

Subscribe Form

© 2025 Voice For Us

Privacy Policy

FAQ

bottom of page