A migrant was arrested and quickly released in New York City after killing his friend’s dog by throwing it from a 14th-floor balcony.
Luis Gabriel Santamaria, 27, found his two-year-old pit bull, Kith, dead on the sidewalk.
Santamaria had gotten into an argument with the migrant, Alberto Morris, 33, who then stormed into his home and killed the dog at approximately 5 a.m. on November 1.
“I had him since he was a baby, since he was one-month old. He was literally my best friend,” Santamaria told The New York Post.
“I never would have thought he would do what he did, murder my dog for no reason.”
“I have PTSD from this thing,” Santamaria said. “I still walk around these streets turning my head, because I don’t know what this man can do. I don’t know him long enough to know that could happen.”
The Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office charged Morris with aggravated cruelty to animals, grand larceny, criminal possession of stolen property, criminal mischief, and torturing an animal.
However, The Post reports, “He has no prior arrests and was released following an arraignment earlier this week, as his charges are non-bail eligible under state law, meaning he can’t be held behind bars unless convicted.”
Santamaria had Morris just a few weeks before, and they became friends after bonding over being Panamanian.
“Morris, who lived nearby, had immigrated to the US about a year ago, Santamaria said, adding that the violent brute quickly became obsessive, sending odd texts, showing up at his home and ringing the doorbell for hours,” the Post reports.
On the night before the dog killing, the duo had gone to a Halloween party in Williamsburg, and Morris became drunk and aggressive.
“At one point, when he was getting too aggressive, he grabbed my bag — I had a little side bag — and ripped it off my body. We were shoving each other, I didn’t know what was going on, and without me noticing, he grabbed my keys from my bag.”
Santamaria took an Uber to his apartment, but was too late, and his dog was dead.
“I’m really curious as to why he’s a free man after he did what he did. I don’t think any kind of murderer should be left anywhere outside of jail,” Santamaria told the paper.
Morris is facing a maximum of two years in prison if convicted.
