A pool maintenance technician admitted to killing a family’s beloved dog after he was caught on video throwing the dog’s body into a trashcan.
Twenty- three- year- old Aaron Cumpton faces an animal cruelty charge in Fresno, California, after he turned himself in to the police and confessed to killing the dog October 28.
According to the dog’s owner, Kim Garcia, the family had been vacationing in Dallas, Texas, and their dog sitter noticed that the dog was missing.
Her pool technician was servicing the pool at the time the dog went missing on October 26.
Garcia checked her surveillance camera and saw her 16-year-old Yorkshire Terrier, “Artie,” beginning to walk away from the house when Cumpton picks up the dog to bring him back toward the front door.
“You know, I got excited because I was like oh, cool, the pool guy got him. Oh cool, he’s got him, or maybe he took him back to the business,” Garcia said.
But as she continued to watch the video, her hopes turned to horror.
Cumpton leaves the camera view for a few minutes before he is seen going to his truck to get his cell phone. Next, he is seen walking with Artie’s lifeless body toward a trashcan on the curb. Then he is captured dropping the dead dog inside.
“I never thought my dog would be murdered,” said Garcia. “It took me a minute to register it, but I was furious when I realized what he was doing.”
Garcia reported the incident to police.
A short time later, an investigator called to inform her that Cumpton had allegedly confessed to the killing. The investigator said that Cumpton was trying to force the dog back inside the house through a dog door when the dog bit him. In response, he became angry and strangled the dog.
Pure Water Pools, Cumpton’s employer, released a statement saying they have suspended him pending the results of the investigation.
“We will continue to work with authorities to ensure that this incident is handled appropriately and that justice is served,” the statement said.
Cumpton was released from jail the day after he turned himself in and said that he absolutely regretted his actions and asked the Garcia family to forgive him. He offered to give the family a written apology and said that he would “look to be a better person from here on out.”
But Garcia rejected his offer of a letter, calling Cumpton a “monster” and said that he would not likely get what he deserves because of the way the law works.
Cumpton is scheduled to attend a court hearing on January 20, 2022.
