CHICAGO – A man in the Wicker Park neighborhood of Chicago who is accused of torturing and killing several cats, one by microwave, has been arrested, according to reports.
Thomas Martel, 22, is charged with four counts of aggravated cruelty to animals and two counts of animal torture, all felonies. He surrendered to police on Monday after a woman filed a complaint related to the series of crimes related to animal cruelty, FOX 32 Chicago reported.
The witness who reported the offenses said Martel microwaved a kitten that was found by officers in a plastic bag in his apartment. He is also accused of drowning and squeezing two cats to death while a third died by mutilation, officials said.
Strangely enough, each of the kittens that died was named Shelly, reported the New York Post. It was unclear if the name had a specific meaning to the criminal defendant and the deaths were some form of sick symbolism.
According to an arrest report obtained by FOX 32 Chicago, Martel had been taking prescribed medications and had serious mental health issues.
