California man charged after authorities say he lured and beat cats to death
Share this @internewscast.com

A Southern California man was charged with felony animal cruelty after allegedly using food to lure and kill multiple cats over a period of months.

Alejandro Oliveros Acosta, 46, from Santa Ana, is set to face the court on Wednesday with charges including the theft of a companion animal, specifically a Bengal lynx that he is accused of enticing and taking, along with methamphetamine possession, according to the prosecutors.

It is unclear if he has secured legal representation for the matter. The Orange County Public Defender’s Office did not provide any comments when asked about the situation on Tuesday night.

Oliveros was apprehended on April 24 following investigations by police departments in Santa Ana and Westminster. He was released after posting a $40,000 bail, as reported by the Orange County District Attorney’s Office in a statement made on Tuesday.

Authorities said reports of a man luring cats with canned food and killing them by beating or stomping them began in Oliveros’ neighborhood and other central Orange County communities late last year and continued to come in through spring.

The Santa Ana and Westminster police departments zeroed in on Oliveros after witnesses identified him as a suspect in crimes against cats, and a search of his home on April 23 turned up evidence linking him to the attacks, Santa Ana police said in a statement.

serial cat killer caught santa ana police
A man accused of mutilating and killing cats in Santa Ana has been arrested.Santa Ana Police Department

The DA’s office and police also noted multiple incidents in which witnesses described a white Toyota pickup used by the suspect.

According to the DA’s statement on Tuesday, crimes connected to the defendant are alleged to include an April 5 fatal stomping of a cat captured on security video; an April 3 report of a man holding a cat over his head and slamming it down; and a March 21 report of a companion animal, a Bengal lynx, stolen after it was lured by a man with a can of food who was using a white Toyota Tacoma pickup.

That cat, named Clubber, was ultimately returned to its owner, authorities said.

“Between November and April, seven reports of dead and injured cats were reported to Santa Ana Animal Control, including animals suffering from broken backs and bloody faces,” the D.A.’s office said.

On April 27, some of the residents who attended a nighttime Santa Ana vigil urging justice in the matter became unruly, vandalized property and threw objects, the city’s police said in a statement.

“While we support the community’s right to peacefully assemble, the Santa Ana Police Department will not tolerate acts of violence, vandalism, or any threats to public safety,” it said.

Oliveros’ ability to remain free amid the ongoing investigation and case has angered some animal advocates. On Tuesday, the district attorney’s office said it will seek a much higher bail amount, $100,000, arguing Oliveros poses a danger to the public.

The defendant faces the possibility of more than five years behind bars if convicted on all counts, the DA’s office said.

Santa Ana, the seat of Orange County, is about 33 miles south-southeast of downtown Los Angeles.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Georgia Teen, 17, Detained in Connection with Parents’ Murder

CARROLL COUNTY, Ga. () – On the morning of February 20th, 2025,…

Over 100 Fatalities in Central Texas Due to Flash Flooding: Insights on the Victims

AUSTIN (KXAN) At least 120 people across Central Texas are confirmed dead,…

Suspect Allegedly Takes Car with Sleeping Kids from Akron Parking Lot: Authorities

AKRON, Ohio (WJW) – The Akron Police Department is looking for a…

Study Finds Drought in the Southwest Inevitable Due to Climate Change and Aerosol Pollution

(The Hill) – The combined effects of climate change and air pollution…

Trump to Assess Flood Damage While Highlighting Strong Connection to Republican Texas

President Trump is flaunting his bond with deep-red Texas ahead of a…

Iranian Enriched Uranium withstood U.S. Airstrikes, claims an Israeli Official

WASHINGTON — Israel believes at least some of Iran’s highly enriched uranium…

Extremist Far-Right Group Plans to Disable Weather Radars

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — A weather radar belonging to an Oklahoma City…

PERMISSION REVOKED: Lawmakers initially refused, later allowed to visit Alligator Alcatraz

Lawmakers at both state and federal levels have been invited to visit…

Live Stream: Forest Service Chief Provides Testimony to the Senate

National Forest Service (NFS) Chief Tom Schultz on Thursday will testify before…

Following the unresolved murder of a paddleboarder in Maine, officials advise the public to remain alert.

Just a few days after a paddleboarder’s mysterious death in Maine, state…

Six Secret Service Officers Suspended Following Attempted Trump Assassination

(The Hill) – A source within the agency has confirmed that the…

White House Budget Director Claims Fed Chair Broke Renovation Rules

WASHINGTON – In a letter sent on Thursday, White House budget director…