MCKINLEY PARK — A Belmont Cragin man charged with brutally beating and killing his girlfriend’s dog was also one of the last people to see a 60-pound rescue dog alive before telling police it was stolen and killed in April.
On April 22, Fabian Perez, 30, attacked his girlfriend’s dog, leaving the dog's dead body on the floor for her to find, prosecutors said. The pup had been kicked multiple times and thrown down a flight of stairs.
Though Perez initially denied killing the medium-size mixed-breed dog, he later apologized to his girlfriend via text, Assistant State's Attorney Lorraine Scaduto said during a bond hearing Tuesday.
On March 6, Perez told police he was robbed of a rescue dog named Tyler while transporting the dog between an adoption family’s home and the home Natalie Sopart, co-founder of Furever Rescue, the organization that had been working to find Tyler a home.
According to a police report, Sopart told officers the men who stole Tyler said, "Welcome to Chicago, bitch," before taking the pup. The men allegedly took Tyler and fled. A day later, the dog was found dead.
Court documents list Sopart as the owner of the dog prosecutors say Perez beat to death on April 22. She was not immediately available for comment Wednesday.
Tyler the pit bull. Photo courtesy of Natalie Sopart.
On April 22, Perez went to visit Sopart at her home in the 3700 block of South Damen Avenue in McKinley Park, and became angry when she wasn't there, according to court documents.
The home was "secured but unlocked," according to Scaduto, and Perez left himself in.
That's when he kicked the dog multiple times before throwing her down a flight of 15 stairs, Scaduto said. Perez then left Sopart's house, locking the door behind him, Scaduto said.
When Sopart arrived home, she found her dead dog and several blood spatters. The dog died of blunt force trauma, authorities said.
Sopart immediately confronted Perez, who denied the attack, according to court documents. When she confronted him again on the phone May 2, Perez confessed to killing the dog and later texted an apology.
When police searched Perez's house last week, they found another dog that appeared to be injured and couldn't walk on its left leg, according to an arrest report. Animal Care and Control took the dog.
Perez's defense attorney in court Tuesday said Perez had veterinary bills that could prove he hadn't abused that dog.
Perez, of the 2300 block of North Latrobe Avenue, is charged with aggravated cruelty to animals and animal cruelty.
He has prior convictions for retail theft, battery, criminal damage to property and driving on a suspended or revoked license, prosecutors said. In 2014, he was charged with theft of labor/services, aggravated battery and resisting arrest after running up a cab fare, refusing to pay the bill and threatening the cab driver in Bolingbrook, police told Patch.
According to his defense attorney, Perez is a college graduate who works full time. Court records list Perez as a construction worker.
Cook County Judge Adam Bourgeois Jr. on Tuesday ordered Perez held in lieu of $50,000 bail.
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