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ERIK VONDALE MCCLINTON JR arrested after viral video showed a dog in distress on the back of a speeding trailer

- Indiana, USA -


On February 11, 2025, the Indiana State Police were alerted to a Facebook post about an SUV traveling eastbound on I-80/94 from the Illinois state line that was pulling an open utility trailer with a cage and a dog inside who appeared to be in distress.


Police said that the cage was not strapped down and the vehicle was traveling at 70 to 80 miles per hour. According to police, the outside temperature at the time was approximately 26 degrees with windchills below that temperature.


Thankfully, a good Samaritan noticed the vehicle and being concerned about the dog’s condition, he called 911.


After a local reporter sent the Facebook post to the Indiana State Police Lowell Post, the post was forwarded to the Criminal Investigations Division and a detective immediately launched an investigation in an effort to locate the dog and the owner of the vehicle.


The detective found the dog, named Midnight, at a residence in Gary.


According to the press release by the Indiana State Police, Midnight “appeared to have been abandoned near a residence where the owner of the suspect vehicle had previously resided.”


An ISP K9 handler who was off duty was luckily in the area and he was able to gain Midnight’s trust resulting in her successful rescue.


Later that evening, the owner of the vehicle was identified as 37-year-old ERIK VONDALE MCCLINTON JR (pictured) and was interviewed by detectives.


On February 12, 2025, animal cruelty charges against MCCLINTON were then submitted to the Lake County Prosecutor's Office for review.


After being rescued, Midnight was first taken to the Hobart Humane Society and then moved to the Gary Animal Control Facility. Midnight is currently receiving much needed care in a foster home.


After the Prosecutor’s Office approved the charges against MCCLINTON, a warrant was issued for his arrest and on February 13, 2025, MCCLINTON was taken into custody.


Reportedly, MCCLINTON told investigators that he put Midnight at the back because he had puppies inside the vehicle and added that he had put a blanket on the cage but the wind must have blown it away.


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Voice For Us Disclaimer: This story is sourced from the press release by the Indiana State Police. 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.





SAMUEL R. DEMELLO, teacher at Berkshire Waldorf School, arrested - He was witnessed beating his dogs

- Massachusetts, USA -


The Great Barrington Police Department arrested 34-year-old SAMUEL R. DEMELLO, a third-grade teacher at Berkshire Waldorf School, after he was witnessed beating, choking, punching, and throwing his defenseless dogs.


According to the criminal complaint obtained by Voice For Us, on February 10, 2025, an officer with the Great Barrington Police Department was dispatched to a residence on Castle Street for a report of animal abuse.


Upon arrival, the officer was met by two women whom I will refer to as W1 and W2.


W1 told the officer that from the front windows of Mason Library, she saw a male, later identified as DEMELLO, throwing a dog violently to the ground and choking the dog. She added that she could hear the poor soul screaming in pain.


W1 then followed DEMELLO from the library all the way to Castle Street. She told the officer that for the duration of the whole journey she saw DEMELLO dragging the dog, violently beating the dog, and strangling the dog. Once on Castle Street, DEMELLO picked up the dog and threw him in a vehicle. W1 approached DEMELLO, talked to him “trying to have him give up the dog to her”, stated the complaint.


W1 explained to the officer that her attempt to get the dog was unsuccessful and she started to feel unsafe and began to fear for the dog’s safety.

W1 then knocked on a few houses but no one answered until she arrived at W2’s home and told her what was happening. W2 then alerted the police.


W1 told the officer that she did not have a phone and could not record what she saw nor call the police.


W2 told the officer she knew DEMELLO and added he was her neighbor. W2 went on to say that she had seen him abuse his dog in the past.


The officer obtained DEMELLO’s identity and in the meantime, another officer arrived on the scene. They ran a query on the license plate and the name of SAMUEL R. DEMELLO came up. It turned out that DEMELLO was connected to three “animal calls”, according to the complaint.


The officers then returned to W2’s home, and she showed them a video of October 2024, in which DEMELLO could be seen “screaming at a long haired white dog right in front of her house, throwing the dog to the ground and pulling him up the street.”


The following day, when W2 went to the Great Barrington Police Department to give her statement, she was able to show more videos about DEMELLO being abusive toward his dogs.


According to the complaint, in one video, DEMELLO could be seen dragging one of the dogs by the collar in his backyard. The dog was understandably yelping and crying. At one point DEMELLO stopped and punched the dog twice.


In the video, W2 could be heard saying: “the dog is crying , he's pulling on his neck, he pulled on her neck and smashed him in the face, I think he's holding her mouth so he can't make noise.”


DEMELLO then held the dog down and struck him/her three more times.


W2 was also able to provide the officer with names of other neighbors who had witnessed the incident.


On February 11, 2025, DEMELLO was placed under arrest and was charged with two felony counts of animal cruelty. He told the officers his dogs were safe and that he gave them to his parents in East Hampton.


While DEMELLO was being booked, one of the officers spoke with one of his parents and they confirmed the dogs were with them.


DEMELLO told the officers “he needs mental help and that he has been hurting himself.”

In view of this, DEMELLO was transported to Berkshire Medical Center.


His arraignment is slated to take place at Southern Berkshire District Court on February 18, 2025, at 8:30 a.m.


I have reached out to Berkshire Waldorf School to find out whether DEMELLO was still employed and at the time of writing, I have not received a response.


I apologize for not having a clear mugshot of DEMELLO. The photo I am using was attached to the criminal complaint.


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Voice For Us Disclaimer: This story is sourced from the criminal complaint provided to Voice For Us. 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.




JARVIS EARL HYMAN JR arrested for failing to feed his dogs leading to the death of some of them

- North Carolina, USA -


The Craven County Sheriff’s Office said that 50-year-old JARVIS EARL HYMAN JR (pictured), has been arrested “in a disturbing case involving felony animal cruelty, illegal possession of firearms by a felon, and possession of weapons of mass destruction. “


Court records show that HYMAN was taken into custody on February 7, 2025.


According to the press release by the sheriff’s office, several reports about HYMAN led to Animal protective Services and deputies investigating him.


The sheriff’s office did not release details of the animal cruelty charges and when I reached out to Animal Protective Services they declined to provide information.


However, the arrest warrant I was provided with, accuses HYMAN of intentionally depriving a male Pitbull named Picollo of necessary sustenance causing his death. According to the warrant, Picollo was left “for about a month without food or water.”


The warrant also accused HYMAN of intentionally depriving of necessary sustenance two female Pitbull mix named Cali and Cerco and seven Pitbull mix puppies, six males and one female. The warrant stated that Cali and Cerco were found malnourished, while the puppies were found to be suffering from anemia, low body temperature, and intestinal parasites.


Additionally, HYMAN is accused of intentionally depriving two female Pitbull mix puppies of necessary sustenance which resulted in their death.


The warrant further accuses HYMAN of failing to vaccinate Cerco and a male Pitbull named Bubba.


HYMAN was charged with felony kill animal by starvation, misdemeanor cruelty to animals, dog/cat/ferret vaccination, misdemeanor cruelty to animals, possession of firearm by felon, and possess weapon mass destruct.


Court records show that HYMAN is scheduled to appear at Craven County District Court on March 5, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. before Judge Andrew Kent Wigmore.


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Voice For Us Disclaimer: This story is sourced from the press release by the Craven County Sheriff’s Office. 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.


HYMAN’s mugshot shared from the Craven County Sheriff's Office




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