Dog stolen, beaten to death with shovel

Incident Date: Friday, Dec 29, 2006
County: Saint Francois

Charges: Felony CTA
Disposition: Convicted

Defendant/Suspect: Danny Contello

Case Updates: 1 update(s) available

Two men are facing animal abuse charges for allegedly torturing and beating a dog.

St. Francois County Prosecuting Attorney Wendy Wexler Horn has charged Nicholas Sansoucie, 26, of Bonne Terre, and Danny Contello, 19, of Doe Run, with felony animal abuse. The charge carries a sentence of up to four years in prison or a fine of up to $5,000.

According to the St. Francois County Sheriff's Department, a female boxer was stolen from a residence in East Bonne Terre and was later found dead at a residence on Old Bonne Terre Road.

"The owner of the dog contacted us on Dec. 29 and said she had located where her dog was," said Sheriff Dan Bullock. "She wanted a deputy to go with her to get the dog back."

Bullock said when the deputy and the owner arrived at the residence, the dog was dead.

"The deputy dug the dog up and it appeared that the dog had been beaten," Bullock said. "The dog was taken to a local veterinarian where it was determined that the dog had been beaten in the head with a shovel. An informant then told us that a 19-year-old Doe Run man (Contello) had beaten the dog to death with a shovel."

Bullock said Contello was arrested and found in possession of a controlled substance. In addition, police arrested Sansoucie and a 36-year-old Bonne Terre woman.

Bullock said the animal abuse charge is being sought against Sansoucie because according to the probable cause statement, he was with the Doe Run man when the dog was beaten. The probable cause statement states Sansoucie told police that he did not give the owner her dog back when she first showed up at the residence. He said he did not kill the dog but the other man did.

The third individual has not been charged. However, the case is still being reviewed by the prosecutor's office. Horn said she is not sure why the dog was beaten.

Case Updates

A Doe Run man arrested for killing a dog two years ago has been placed on five years of supervised probation.

On Friday, Circuit Court Judge Kenneth W. Pratte placed Danny Contello, 21, on supervised probation for animal abuse and an unrelated charge of leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident.

As part of the probation, he was ordered not to have any new pets. If he violates his probation, he could be sentenced up to six years in prison.

According to court records, on Dec. 30, 2006, Contello killed another person's female boxer by beating it in the head with a shovel. The dog had been stolen from a residence in East Bonne Terre and was later found dead at a residence on Old Bonne Terre Road.

In another incident, Contello left the scene of a vehicle accident on Route W on Oct. 5, 2006. Bystanders took him back to the scene of the accident where he gave police his brother's name and identification. He was found in possession of marijuana and paraphernalia.