~ Update: September 20, 2022
The lifeless body of the cat murdered by JUSTIN WESLEY GALE (pictured) was sent to the Cornell University Animal Health Diagnostic Center for necropsy and I am now in possession of the results.
I was also kindly provided with pictures of the furbaby and the one I have published shows him laying on his left side. The hair coat is saturated in blood from the head to the right shoulder, and along the right front leg.
According to necropsy findings, the cat was a neutered adult male, domestic shorthair cat positive to a microchip and identified as Graywolf.
Graywolf was found to be in very thin-to-emaciated condition, having numerous skull fractures due to blunt force trauma, chronic bite wound abscesses to the back legs and genitalia due to suspected intern-animal aggression, and to have chronically fractured ribs from blunt force trauma. Graywolf ‘s thin body scored 2 out of 9 on the Purina Scale, weighing 5.7 pounds.
The following is the conclusion of the necropsy report:
“Graywolf had at least one significant blunt force blow to the head based on the severity of fractures, number of fractures, type of fractures, and associated bruising…. The blunt force trauma to the head was severe enough to cause the rupture of a blood vessels with subsequent blood pooling between the frontal bone and the brain. This pooling of blood increased pressure on the brain and caused additional trauma. The degree of injury would have caused Graywolf to
experience immediate severe pain due to the combination of suffering from a traumatic brain injury and numerous broken bones in the skull. He survived for an unknown period. In the absence of any lung contusions (bruises), the source of the blood in his trachea was the result of inhaling a large volume of blood from his numerous skull fractures. Additionally, his lungs were noted to have emphysema (inflation of the air sacs within the lungs), which is consistent with a labored breathing. This condition may be due to his inability to breath with the volume of blood in his airways. Graywolf’s pain was initiated with the first act of blunt force trauma and persisted until the time of his death or possible loss of consciousness. The cause of his death is due to blunt force trauma to his head and exsanguination (blood loss). The manner of Graywolf’s death is non-accidental,” stated the report.
In addition to Graywolf’s acute (sudden) blunt force injuries, he has evidence of chronic
(previous) blunt force injuries to his thorax (chest) based on the healing fractures to some of his right ribs. His rib fractures are the result of powerful blunt impact to his chest.
As explained in the report: “Animals that are the victim of motor vehicle accidents (hit by a car) are likely to experience rib fractures in clusters, on one side the chest (right or left), and have a pattern that the rib fractures occur in the cranial ribs (ribs closest head). Non-accidental injuries can also result in rib fractures, of which, the pattern most often occurs bilaterally (on both the left and right sides) and with no pattern. Additionally, the distribution and the number of rib fractures that Graywolf suggestive of non-accidental trauma. The cause of Graywolf’s rib fractures is unknown at this time …. Additional information (such as the housing conditions of Graywolf e.g., indoor vs. outdoor, age of rib fractures) may provide further insight into the cause of his condition.”
Regardless of the cause of Graywolf’s rib fractures, the fractures caused him pain at the time of blunt force trauma occurred and for several weeks after. The ribs are designed to move when the chest expands, small movements including breathing and postural changes caused him pain. Due to poor radiographic positioning, a timeline of the ribs is not possible at this time ... There is evidence of previous injury to his heart, is unknown if this is due to a chronic heart condition or related to an episode of previous blunt force trauma to his chest.
Lastly, Graywolf experienced bite abscesses (chronic infection) to his genitalia, inner back legs, and his left hind foot due to bite wounds form inter-animal aggression. There appears to be no evidence of veterinary care being provided based on the severe and extensive infection and lack of the area being shaved. These injuries would have caused him to experience pain at the time of the injury and to experience residual pain with any movement of his back legs until the time of his death.
Based on the number of injuries, nature of injuries (fractures), the extensive distribution over his body and more than one traumatic event, this cat's injuries are consistent with non-accidental trauma. His rib fractures and his skull fractures indicate that this cat experienced at minimum, 2 traumatic episodes (occurring at different points in time). These traumatic injuries are classified as occurring antemortem (before death).
I have heard back from the State Attorney’s Office 7th Circuit after I had inquired about the cat’s age, gender, breed, and name.
I was told in an email that “The cat was sent off for a Necropsy right away so I do not see the information you are requesting on the reports I am looking at. I assume once we get the necropsy back, most if not all of that information will be available.”
Court records show that GALE was arraigned on July 26, 2022.
The Office of the State Attorney R.J. Larizza – 7th Judicial Circuit kindly responded to my email and told me that GALE pleaded not guilty to the charges.
GALE is due back in court on September 8, 2022, at 8:30 a.m. for a pre-trial.
Online records further show that GALE is still in custody.
Updates will be published as they become available.
Port Orange Police arrested 28-year-old JUSTIN WESLEY GALE (pictured) for beating a defenseless cat to death.
According to charging documents obtained by Voice For Us, on the early morning of Tuesday, July 5, an officer responded to 125 Niver Street after receiving an animal cruelty complaint.
Upon arrival, the officer made contact with the reporting party, Matthew, who said that while
riding his bike with a friend he saw a male and a female standing outside a residence on Taylor Avenue, and the male was hitting a cat with an approximately eighteen-inch-long bat.
The male hitting the defenseless cat was GALE. The affidavit identified the female as SONJA.
Matthew went on to say that after beating the cat, GALE then walked to the other side of the street and threw the furbaby “down an embankment of a creek while the cat was wrapped up in a jacket or bag.” After tossing the furbaby, GALE walked back to the residence and Matthew could hear the cat crying out.
According to Matthew, the female told GALE to “put the cat out of its misery” so GALE walked back to where he had tossed the furbaby and struck him/her “three more times with the bat.”
Afterwards, GALE and the female left on bicycles heading eastbound on Niver Street towards Ridgewood Avenue.
Matthew went home and alerted the authorities and to the responding officer he showed where the incident took place.
In the report, the officer wrote that at a residence on 5402 Taylor Avenue, in the carport under the awning on the concrete pad, he found an approximately “eighteen inch long bat with blood on the top quarter, and four blood droplets, in the grass north of the concrete pad was a white tank-top that was covered in blood.”
The officer further reported that “across the street, located on the embankment next to the creek, was what appeared to be a cheetah print jacket wrapped around a cat that was bloodied and appeared to have been battered.”
The officer then knocked on the door of the residence and spoke with the homeowner, Victor Gulle. He told the officer that GALE was his friend and that GALE and SONJA “were outside of his house earlier, however, he was sleeping and did not see or hear anything.”
Gulle also told the officer that he believed GALE and his girlfriend were heading to 5827 Ridgewood Avenue.
After the officer secured all the evidence, animal control was contacted and officers took custody of the lifeless cat body.
When detectives located GALE, he denied being at Gulle’s home and being in contact with a cat. During an authorized show-up, referring to GALE, Matthew stated that “that is most definitely him” as the subject who he witnessed hitting the cat with a bat.
GALE was placed under arrest for “animal cruelty-intentional cause cruel death and unlawful disposal of a dead domestic animal.”
The filthy murderer was transported to the Volusia County Jail where he is being held on a $3,000 bond.
Online court records show GALE’s arraignment has been scheduled for July 26, 2022, at 8:30 a.m.
Charging documents do not mention whether SONJA will be also charged in this case and whether Matthew tried to intervene to rescue the cat or he just stood there and watched the beating unfold.
Voice For Us Disclaimer: This story is sourced from official news outlets. Links included.
Details may be removed or additional information may be provided in future should such sources report an update.
