Vicasso Lara Lehigh Acres, Florida man brutally beats and stabs recently adopted pet dog – bakes it in the oven. No known motive known.
A Florida man is alleged to have brutally beat and stabbed a dog, before then baking it in the oven, according to a release via the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.
Vicasso Lara, 24, of Lehigh Acres, reportedly killed the pet dog in his home. Deputies from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office were called to the scene where they came across several pools of blood outside of the house.
Bloodied footprints led them to the back entrance of the home on 11th Street SW. Concerned deputies then obtained a search warrant to get inside the property. Upon entering the home, the deputies found the body of a dog in the kitchen oven that had been turned to the highest setting.
The deputies were called to the scene after getting reports that Lara had been threatening people outside his home. During the investigation, the authorities came to find that Lara had repeatedly stabbed the dog, then beat it with a bludgeon, and then placed it inside the oven.
Lara was arrested and charged with torture/inflict pain/serious physical injury/death upon an animal.
Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno said, ‘I’m speechless. This is possibly the most brutal and horrific example of animal abuse my team or I have ever seen. We will pursue the absolute maximum punishment for this horrific crime.’
According to the staff at the Gulf Coast Humane Society, they recalled the day that Lara had adopted a dog called Iris from their center in February. The GCHS community relations coordinator, Brian Wierima said, ‘I think he was with his father, I believe,’ Wink News reports.
‘They were both happy to bring Iris into the family,’ Wierima added ‘It was tough to see what happened to her … It makes it especially hard because we knew she had a tough life to start with. It’s gotta be a mental health issue, especially during this time where people are locked in.’
To date authorities have yet to say what motivated Lara to so heinously mistreat the animal.
Lee County Sheriff's Office Press Release: Dog Brutally Killed in Lehigh AcresOn Friday, April 3, 2020, at approximately 10:00 pm, Lee County Sheriff’s Office deputies conducted a well-being check at a single-family residence in the 4500 block of 20th Street SW, Lehigh Acres.Initial information indicated that a subject, later identified as Vicasso Lara, (DOB 10-06-1995) was present at the 20th Street SW location, and that Lara had been threatening people at a residence located in the 100 block of East 11th Street, Lehigh Acres, where Lara had reportedly also killed his dog.“I’m speechless,” stated Sheriff Carmine Marceno. “This is possibly the most brutal and horrific example of animal abuse my team or I have ever seen. We will pursue the absolute maximum punishment for this horrific crime.”After speaking with Lara and a witness, deputies responded to the 11th Street SW residence, where deputies observed several pools of blood outside the residence and bloody footprints near the rear entrance to the home.LCSO detectives obtained and immediately executed a search warrant for the 11th Street SW residence, where detectives and crime scene technicians discovered the body of a dog in the kitchen oven, which had been turned to its highest setting.The investigation revealed Lara had stabbed the dog numerous times, beaten the animal with a bludgeon, and otherwise brutalized the dog prior to having placed it in the oven.Based on facts revealed during the investigation, Lara was arrested and charged with violation of Florida Statute 828.12(2) Torture/Inflict Pain/Serious Physical Injury/Death upon an animal.Deputies booked Lara to the Lee County Jail, where he is being held without bond, pending his initial court appearance.
Posted by Lee County Sheriff's Office on Saturday, April 4, 2020
‘It’s got to be a mental health issue….’
GCHS community relations coordinator, Wierima shared that this was an extreme example and a reminder to check in with loved ones amid the coronavirus quarantine. ‘
‘It was tough to see what happened to her … It makes it especially hard because we knew she had a tough life to start with,’ Wiermia said. ‘It’s gotta be a mental health issue, especially during this time where people are locked in.’
Wiermia said this is an extreme example and reminder for people to check in on loved ones and those you are close with.
‘Be aware if a family member is starting to get stressed, acting a lot different,’ Wiermia reiterated. ‘Get them help. Reach out to them. Get them help, so that nothing like this can happen again.’
Lara was being held Saturday in the county jail without bond. Jail records didn’t list a lawyer for Lara.
