William Cardoza

Kicking his girlfriends puppy to death

Middletown, RI

Nov. 13, 2000

Cardoza, age 72, of 4A Bristol Road, kicked his girlfriend's puppy named Jessie, a 5 month old Jack Russell terrier and injured it so severely that it died after several hours of agony. The doctors at the Newport Animal Hospital notified state police that they had a dog what was close to death that appeared to have been abused.

Cardoza was arrested later that evening at the Newport Creamery where he was eating. His girlfriend had told police where he could be found. The girlfriend told police that Cardoza admitted to her that he kicked the dog into its cage. The girlfriend had left the dog in Cardoza's care for a few hours. Cardoza explained that the dog had defecated on the rug and he had rubbed the dog's nose in it and in an attempt to get it back into its cage, he had choked it and kicked it.

Cardoza was released on his own recognizance. Under Rhode Island law, he faces up to two years in prison and a $5000 fine if convicted.

On February 12th, 2001 Cardoza was arrested twice in the same day for violating a non-contact order.

Update 11/28/00:

Cardoza's girlfriend had sought 2 restraining orders on June 7, 2000 and October 12, 2000 against Cardoza for being physically abusive towards her and abused her pet.

References:

APB News

The Providence Journal