PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (CBS12) — A 19-year-old Port St. Lucie man is facing a third-degree felony charge after a family pet was discovered dead, weighted down by a dumbbell in the North Fork of the St. Lucie River.
The St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office said on the morning of March 2, a maintenance worker at River Park Marina was alerted by a citizen to a suspicious object submerged in the water. Using a tool to retrieve the item, the worker recovered a black backpack. Upon opening the bag, authorities found a deceased small Chihuahua sealed inside a plastic bag along with a 25-pound dumbbell. While no external trauma was immediately visible, investigators noted blood inside the plastic bag.
Witnesses at the scene reported seeing a young male in red clothing acting “nervous or suspicious” near the water shortly before the discovery. Though a canvas of the area was initially unsuccessful, a microchip scan of the dog eventually led deputies to a residence on SE Tranquilla Ave.
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The dog’s owner identified the pet and named her son, Evan Thomas Pavone, 19, as the likely suspect, SLCSO said. As deputies interviewed his mother, Pavone reportedly exited the residence, placed his hands behind his back, and told officers, “Just arrest me now”.
A 19-year-old Port St. Lucie man is facing a third-degree felony charge after a family pet was discovered dead, weighted down by a dumbbell (SLCSO)
He declined to provide a formal statement and requested an attorney. According to the affidavit, Pavone is charged with Aggravated Animal Cruelty. Under current Florida law, this felony carries potential prison time and mandatory psychological counseling. The deceased dog was turned over to Animal Control for a necropsy to determine the exact cause of death and whether the animal was alive when it was placed in the river.