The Beaumont Police is looking for a killer – cat killings over the past two years outline a disturbing trend. A total of 5 cats have been found disemboweled and then dissected along the drainage ditches running along Phelan Boulevard and Gladys Avenue and in neighboring yards.

Residents of the neighborhood this summer have found three cats tossed into people’s yards – a sign of violence they fear may be increasing.

Beaumont Detective Tina Lewallen stated that it looked like a science lab dissection. There is concern that this person is going to escalate and become bored with cats.

On August 14th, Crime Stoppers announced it was offering a reward for any information leading to the arrest of the individual(s) responsible for the crimes. Anyone with information can contact Lewallen at (409)880-3830. 

In May, Tracy Winkler and her family found the family’s cat “Tiger” on the grass bank of the drainage ditch behind her home, without rear legs or internal organs.

The treatment of Winkler’s cat was similar to that of the other cats. All had been cleanly cut along the belly with their internal organs removed. It then appears that the rear of the animal is cut away. No blood or organs have been found near the bodies, which leads authorities to believe that the parts of the cats are being gathered for a particular purpose.

Because all of the cats have been found with clean soft fur, it is believed they were all pets. Lewallen stated that she is concerned that homeowners may not think of telling anyone about finding a dead cat in their yard, so many more incidents of animal abuse might go unreported. She estimates that there are about 20 cases.

In January 2005, Lee French, 18, of Beaumont was arrested along with two juveniles in connection with a cat mutilation in the same neighborhood where Winkler found Tiger. French’s was convicted along with two juveniles.  Lewallen does not know if there is a link between the cases, but the cats were mutilated in an apparent similar fashion.

Reference:

The Beaumont Enterprise

KFDM-TV