Pinellas County, FL – This week, a jury found the Florida man who decapitated his newly adopted dog, Dexter, guilty on all charges. The judge sentenced Domingo R. Rodriguez to one year and 60 days in county jail plus additional fines for killing the four-year-old dog.

In May 2024, just one day after 66-year-old Domingo R. Rodriguez adopted Dexter from the Pinellas County Animal Services, the dog was decapitated, wrapped in a plastic bag and thrown into the mangroves at Fort De Soto Park.

Investigators discovered that Rodriguez was the dog’s owner thanks to an embedded microchip. Rodriguez initially denied the allegations against him and tried claiming Dexter had run away – but after questioning, he admitted that he had indeed travelled to Fort De Soto Park on May 11, the day Dexter’s body was found. Surveillance video captured Rodriguez at the park on May 11 with a large cooler in the bed of his gray truck.

Animal Victory petitioned for Rodriguez to be held accountable for his despicable actions. Nearly 20,000 people signed the petition, helping to ensure that the case was not dismissed.

Thanks for reading! We appreciate you.