Florida Man Arrested After Hanging Navy Veteran’s Dog

38-year old Robert Leroy Edwards was arrested after reportedly hanging the service dog of a disabled Navy veteran. Edwards also punched the man's children when they wouldn’t help dispose of the animal.

Edwards was charged with torture inflicting pain/serious physical injury resulting in death. According to the police, he killed Richard Hunt’s black lab by wrapping an electrical cord around the dog’s neck because it was barking.

Hunt’s emotional support dog “Midnight” was staying with his son in Manatee County on Wednesday when he got a call. “When I got the call, my son was screaming in the phone, he’s hanging my dog,” said Hunt. “So this was taking place as I was on the phone.”

Hunt’s 16-year-old son was woken by Edwards. He was sleeping in the home when Edwards asked him to help hide the dog’s body. The teen refused, and Edwards allegedly punched him in the face. “Hunt’s older son went to see what was going on and was attacked by Edwards,” said Fox News.

“It’s so terrible what he did to that dog. I keep thinking about how my dog suffered and how she looked at him and cried and whimpered to try and get away and he just – terrible. What kind of person can do that? It’s disgusting,” Hunt told WFLA.

WFTS reported that Edwards was renting a room in the home of Hunt’s son at the time of the attack.