Police: Warren County man charged after kitten’s gruesome death

WARNING: The content of this story is extremely graphic.

FRANKLIN, Ohio (WXIX) - A Warren County man is accused of brutally killing a kitten by smashing its skull on a table in full view of multiple witnesses.

David Lee, 82, is the building manager at a Franklin apartment building on East 3rd Street, police say.

Last Wednesday, Oct. 5, three of Lee’s current tenants allegedly saw him lure the cat with food, capture it and choke it, according to witness statements taken by Franklin police.

Lee then allegedly put a rope around the cat’s neck before putting it into a plastic bag and slamming its head into a metal table outside the apartment building, according to one witness.

Lee next slammed the cat’s head against a brick pillar, said the same witness, before punching it repeatedly.

The witness told police the cat initially fought for its life and scratched Lee. As Lee got to punching it, the witness said, the cat’s legs “were twitching and kicking slightly, but it did not fight much at this point.”

The witness said Lee then wrapped the cat up and tossed “its motionless body” into Lee’s truck before driving off.

The person who first made the police complaint was a former tenant of the building and had heard about the alleged incident from a current tenant.

The actual witnesses, according to the police report, were initially afraid to give sworn statements because they feared Lee would kick them out of the apartment building on threats he had allegedly made and a legal waiver he had allegedly made them sign.

“If Lee does not like someone for any reason, he can kick them out at any time,” the police report reads paraphrasing the former tenant.

Officers arrested Lee on an active animal cruelty warrant last Saturday.

Lee told police “all he did was squeeze the cat and then took it to Miamisburg,” according to the report.

He will be in court Tuesday at 3 p.m.

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