Two Men Charged After Retired K-9 Found Dead in Arkansas

PARAGOULD, Ark. (AP) — Two men in Arkansas are facing charges after a retired K-9 was discovered dead in their home. Ethan Huffstetler and Payton Johnson are charged with aggravated cruelty to an animal, a felony, according to the Greene County Sheriff’s Office.

The investigation began when authorities received an anonymous tip, stating that Bane, a retired police dog, was being neglected and abused. The tip noted that Bane was living outside without food, water, or shade, Sergeant Ashten Jackson detailed in an affidavit.

On Tuesday, detectives visited Huffstetler’s residence to check on Bane. Huffstetler claimed the dog was in a kennel in the backyard, but detectives found Bane dead inside a plastic dog house.

“K-9 Bane appeared to have been deceased for a substantial amount of time,” Jackson stated. During questioning, Huffstetler admitted he had not checked on the dog for four to five days and did not have food for him.

Johnson, Huffstetler’s roommate, told investigators that it had been about a week since he last saw Bane in the kennel, but he claimed he was unaware of the dog’s condition. Investigators, however, noted that his close proximity to the situation made it unbelievable that he would not have known of Bane’s plight.

On Thursday, Greene County District Judge Daniel Stidham found sufficient evidence to charge both men. He set Huffstetler’s bond at $20,000 cash-only, while Johnson’s bond was set at $10,000 cash/surety. Both men are being held in a facility in a neighboring county as they were detention officers at the Greene County Detention Center.

Sheriff Jon Snyder stated that both men have been relieved of their positions following the allegations. He reflected on K-9 Bane, stating, “He served Greene County very well during his time with this department.” Bane was trained in various areas, including drug detection and tracking, and served six years before retiring in January 2024.

“K-9 Bane was adopted by court order upon his retirement. Unfortunately, his welfare deteriorated under the care of Huffstetler,” the sheriff added.