Dead dog, 5 other neglected pets found at home of accused cop killer


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WEST VALLEY CITY — A Utah man accused of going on a violent crime spree and fatally shooting two officers in northern California left behind a dead dog and five other badly-neglected pets at his West Valley City home, an animal control officer said Thursday.

West Valley City Animal Services field supervisor Nate Beckstead said officers moved in on the property belonging to Marcelo Marquez — who immigration agents have said is really named Luis Enrique Monroy-Bracamonte but is also known by other aliases — Tuesday after a resident called concerned about the welfare of the pets.

"One of the dogs didn't look good — the pit bull — and the Jack Russell (Terrier) appeared to be dead," Beckstead said.

Officers also found three Rottweilers and a cat that had been left behind at the house, located near 2900 West and 3000 South.

Beckstead said the animals had been deserted at least for a week based on their health, but likely had been neglected for a far longer period of time.

"They had been left without food, water or shelter," Beckstead said. "The cat that we took out of the home — there was an estimated three weeks worth of feces in the room."

Beckstead said it appeared the animals had grown aggressive toward each other with a lack of food and water on the property, and it was believed one of the Rottweilers had attacked the pit bull.

The condition inside the home was poor, Beckstead said. Garbage could still be seen Thursday heaped into the back of a pickup truck that was parked in the driveway.

Neighbor Collin Barkheimer was one of the first to discover the poor health of the animals and did what he could to render aid to the pit bull before animal control arrived.

"It would not move," he recalled. "It wouldn't eat."

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Barkheimer described Monroy-Bracamonte as a bad neighbor.

He said the man yelled and swore at his mother once when she came to his door about a basketball that had gone over the fence, and at other times had fed errant basketballs to his Rottweilers, deflating them before tossing them back into Barkheimer's yard.

"Once they were popped, they'd throw them back," Barkheimer said. "They were mean."

Barkheimer said another man lived in the home with Monroy-Bracamonte and his wife, Janelle Marquez Monroy. It was unknown Thursday exactly who that man was.

Investigators from West Valley City Police Department and the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office executed an additional search warrant at the house Thursday afternoon.

A West Valley spokesperson confirmed the department was assisting with Sacramento County's investigation, but declined comment about the case. Sacramento County, as of Thursday night, had not offered an explanation for the search.

Monroy-Bracamonte is accused of going on a violent crime spree last Friday that spanned 30 miles in northern California, shooting four people during the ordeal, including three officers. Two of the officers died from their wounds.

Monroy-Bracamonte's wife was also arrested.

Immigration officials have said Monroy-Bracamonte was living in the U.S. illegally after being deported twice to Mexico. He was also reportedly arrested in a misdemeanor hit-and-run case in West Valley in 2003.

Beckstead said the animals were emaciated, but the Rottweilers' conditions were improving.

The pit bull was likely to be in the care of a veterinarian for some time, Beckstead said. The cat showed lingering signs of being afraid of people.

Beckstead said the shelter was committed to finding new owners for all of the animals and was beginning the process of searching for possible future homes.

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Andrew Adams

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