Ryan Eddy Watenpaugh has now been arrested and was charged by Redding, California police after his ex-girlfriend told police a story of extreme cruelty to both humans and animals.
The woman said Watenpaugh, her ex, killed and cooked her dog Bear, a Pomeranian, and fed it to her.
The disturbing story lasted over several weeks.
The victim said she had been dating Watenpaugh for several months but left the relationship after he became physically abusive. She had been allegedly assaulted by Watenpaugh, 34, several times.
Police Sgt. Todd Cogle said the woman told officers that she was held against her will twice while trying to escape the abusive relationship. In August. after another attack by Watenpaugh, the victim ran out of the back door of her apartment in Redding.
When she returned Watenpaugh was gone and had also taken her Pomeranian with him.
The couple reconciled briefly a few weeks later and Watenpaugh cooked the woman a meal.
On Sept. 7, the woman told police she received a text from Watenpaugh. In that text, he asked her how her dog tasted and made reference to the meal he cooked for her, according to Cogle.
The accused continued to send other menacing messages, stating various things he planned on doing with the remains of her dog, which included returning its paws to her, Cogle said.
A week later, the victim looked outside her apartment and saw Watenpaugh walk up to her home, place something near her door and walk away.
When she opened her front door to investigate, the woman found a small bag containing dog paws, which she identified as belonging to Bear.
Watenpauh was arrested Wednesday by Shasta County Sheriff’s Department.
Cogle said he admitted sending messages and placing the dog paws on her porch. But he’s denied killing or cooking the dog.
During a search of Watenpaugh’s home, police found an AK-47 assault rifle and multiple high-capacity magazines.
He’s being held on $250,000 bail and is now facing charges of animal cruelty, domestic violence, stalking and false imprisonment.
h/t: USA Today
