Man accused of dumping dog’s body in trash pile after it dies in a hot car

Reporter: Michael Hudak Writer: Derrick Shaw
Published: Updated:
James Russell
James Russell (Credit: Lee County Sheriff’s Office)

A man was arrested on an animal cruelty charge after deputies say his dog died after spending an hour-and-a-half in a hot car on Sunday.

According to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, a 1-year-old Doberman pinscher named Sinister was left alone in the hot car at a home on the 300 block of Morse Plaza while the car was off and the owner ran errands.

For Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno, his animal cruelty task force is dedicated to helping those who can’t help themselves.

“I am a dog lover. I’m an animal lover,” said Marceno.

when someone harms an animal, especially a dog, the sheriff doesn’t hold back. He called a news conference to talk about the animal cruelty task force’s latest case.

“My animal cruelty task force central district detectives and members of the Lee County Domestic Animal Services responded to a home on Morse Plaza in Fort Myers,” said Marceno.

What they found was as disheartening as it was disgusting.

“There they found a deceased 1-year-old Doberman pinscher named Sinister. Detectives learned that Sinister was left in an unattended car for over an hour and a half,” Marceno said.

Then they found the man responsible. “The windows were up, the engine was off since his owner, 53-year-old James Russell, decided to run errands and go about his day. While Sinister had no access to water, ventilation, or food,” said Marceno. “Once Russell decided to check on Sinister, he located them deceased.”

That wasn’t even the worst part. “(Russell) also removed Sinister from the vehicle and placed him in a trash pile in the front yard. Not once attempting to resuscitate it. It’s estimated that the vehicle Sinister was left in reached temperatures over 130 degrees. Since his core temperature at the time of my team’s arrival was over 106 degrees,” said Marceno. “And they say every 15 minutes it climbs to a temperature which creates heatstroke and no ventilation, no water, no food.”

Russell faces an aggravated animal cruelty charge.

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