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Senior Editor
Savage buck caught skinning cat hims kilt
Delray man charged with animal cruelty after confessing to police he killed, skinned his pet cat
WEST PALM BEACH — A Delray Beach man was back in court today following a mental health evaluation after police arrested him New Year's Eve morning.
He confessed to killing and skinning his pet cat, Delray Beach police said.
Jason Lester Alkire, 26, is charged with animal cruelty.
According to a police report, an officer called around 3:30 a.m. Dec. 31 to Alkire's home in the 700 block of Southwest Fifth Avenue found him in the back yard.
The man was kneeling over his cat, holding a pocket knife, which he dropped when the officer ordered him to do so, the report said.
It said Alkire told the officer his cat had died and he wanted the fur for a memorial.
Later, he said that, after he'd tried to pet the cat and she had scratched him, he'd thrown her against a dresser, killing her.
But he then admitted he'd strangled her with his right hand.
He told the officer the cat had done no wrong "and he couldn't live with what he had done," the report said.
Alkire said he threw the animal in an outside garbage can but later retrieved and skinned her.
He said he'd had a snake once and had skinned it as well after it had died.
In court this morning following Alkire's mental health evaluation, assistant state attorney Mary Ann Duggan asked assistant public defender Carol Bickerstaff, "has it had any helpful assistance?"
Bickerstaff replied, "no,"
Palm Beach County Circuit Judge Howard Harrison then ordered Alkire held in lieu of $3,000 bail with an alternative of supervised release.
A judge already had ordered Alkire, who works as a busboy, to have no contact with animals, or with alcohol, weapons or illegal drugs.
Duggan said Alkire had previous arrests for DUI and drug possession. According to Palm Beach County Jail records, Alkire was arrested in July 2006 for DUI and drug possession; in October 2008 for drug possession; and in February 2009 for sale of methamphetamine.
Delray man charged with animal cruelty after confessing to police he killed, skinned his pet cat
WEST PALM BEACH — A Delray Beach man was back in court today following a mental health evaluation after police arrested him New Year's Eve morning.
He confessed to killing and skinning his pet cat, Delray Beach police said.
Jason Lester Alkire, 26, is charged with animal cruelty.
According to a police report, an officer called around 3:30 a.m. Dec. 31 to Alkire's home in the 700 block of Southwest Fifth Avenue found him in the back yard.
The man was kneeling over his cat, holding a pocket knife, which he dropped when the officer ordered him to do so, the report said.
It said Alkire told the officer his cat had died and he wanted the fur for a memorial.
Later, he said that, after he'd tried to pet the cat and she had scratched him, he'd thrown her against a dresser, killing her.
But he then admitted he'd strangled her with his right hand.
He told the officer the cat had done no wrong "and he couldn't live with what he had done," the report said.
Alkire said he threw the animal in an outside garbage can but later retrieved and skinned her.
He said he'd had a snake once and had skinned it as well after it had died.
In court this morning following Alkire's mental health evaluation, assistant state attorney Mary Ann Duggan asked assistant public defender Carol Bickerstaff, "has it had any helpful assistance?"
Bickerstaff replied, "no,"
Palm Beach County Circuit Judge Howard Harrison then ordered Alkire held in lieu of $3,000 bail with an alternative of supervised release.
A judge already had ordered Alkire, who works as a busboy, to have no contact with animals, or with alcohol, weapons or illegal drugs.
Duggan said Alkire had previous arrests for DUI and drug possession. According to Palm Beach County Jail records, Alkire was arrested in July 2006 for DUI and drug possession; in October 2008 for drug possession; and in February 2009 for sale of methamphetamine.