SIMMS, Texas — A Bowie County man charged with the deaths of numerous dogs on his property is on Monday’s docket for his first pretrial hearing.
Stuart Duncan Hammonds, 21, is expected to appear before 202nd District Judge John Tidwell, according to court records.
Hammonds was arrested Oct. 15 on 12 counts of animal cruelty and remains in Bi-State Detention Center. His bond has been set at $100,000, according to jail records. He is represented by the Bowie County Public Defender’s Office.
The investigation began Oct. 3, when Bowie County Sheriff’s Office deputies were notified of several dogs missing from their homes in the Simms area.
One of the victims reported that a possible suspect lived in the area, and an investigation was started.
Investigator Michelle Carrier met with the victim and obtained social media posts related to the missing animals.
Based on their findings, Carrier and several Bowie County deputies went to Hammonds’ residence.
Officers immediately recognized the odor of decaying animals, according to a news release from the Sheriff’s Office. There were also seven animal carcasses around the residence and barn area of the property.
Skeletal remains led to the identification of 12 dogs that were deceased on Hammonds’ property. Some of them had obvious head trauma consistent with being shot by a firearm.
Hammonds allegedly killed four of the dogs during fits of rage when arguing with his girlfriend. He allegedly acquired the dogs by picking them up while they were running loose around Simms or by adopting them through social media posts.
A witness said Hammonds killed all 12 of the dogs, according to the affidavit.
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