Des Moines, IA - Sheena Cornwell is facing animal torture charges after she callously killed her dog by using the dog’s leash to hang it in the garage.
Joshua VanDyke said Cornwell was upset with Lillie, a 15-year-old pit bull, barking inside the garage. He said that he watched Cornwell enter the garage with the dog’s collar. He said she returned 10 minutes later, stating: ‘She’s dead, I killed her.’
After rushing into the garage and finding Lillie hanging hanging from the rafters, he called 911. When police arrived, they found Lillie dead, hanging from her leash.
“This is the first time I’ve seen a dog strung up like that. The dog deserved better than that.” Des Moines Police Officer Greg Catron said.
Cornwell told police that Lillie had medical issues and would die soon anyway. “She did not appear to be remorseful. She said she saw nothing wrong with her actions,” Catron said. “She didn’t think there was anything wrong with the way she put this dog to death.”
Sheena Cornwell was arrested and charged with one count of animal torture. She was released from the Polk County Jail two hours later.
VanDyke remains shocked over Cornwell’s actions, saying she’d mentioned getting rid of Lillie before, but had never abused her and never hinted at doing anything violent to her.
‘She was a self-proclaimed animal lover. It was all she talked about, how much she loved animals,’ he said, adding Cornwell was the one who rescued Lillie four years ago.
He also said he and Cornwell dated for four years and owned ferrets, reptiles, turtles, fish and three dogs. He added that after this incident, they are no longer together and he is requesting a no-contact order. VanDyke allowed Cornwell to gather some of her belongings on Saturday – with a police escort.
