COOK COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTHOUSE — A Belmont Cragin man angry at his girlfriend brutally beat and killed the woman's dog last month, leaving the animal for her to find, prosecutors said Tuesday.
Fabian Perez, 30, slipped out of the woman's home after the April 22 attack — leaving the dog's dead body on the floor, prosecutors said. The pup had been kicked multiple times and thrown down a flight of stairs.
A police report lists the dog's name as Gia.
Though Perez initially denied killing Gia, a medium-sized mixed-breed dog, he later apologized to his girlfriend via text, Assistant State's Attorney Lorraine Scaduto said during a bond hearing Tuesday.
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.
On April 22, Perez went to visit his girlfriend at her home in the 3700 block of South Damen Avenue in McKinley Park, and became angry when she wasn't there, prosecutors said.
The home was "secured but unlocked," according to Scaduto, and Perez left himself in.
That's when he allegedly kicked Gia multiple times before throwing her down a flight of 15 stairs. Perez then left his girlfriend's house, locking the door behind him, Scaduto said.
When the girlfriend arrived home, she found her dead dog and several blood spatters, prosecutors said. According to authorities, the dog died of blunt force trauma.
The woman immediately confronted Perez, who denied the attack, according to prosecutors. When she confronted him again on the phone May 2, Perez confessed to killing the dog and later texted an apology, Scaduto said.
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.
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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