A 22-year-old man from Chicago turned himself in to the police on Monday after being accused of torturing and killing multiple cats. Thomas Martel is now facing charges of aggravated cruelty to animals and animal torture. The disturbing details of the case have shocked the local community and raised concerns about animal welfare.
According to Chicago police and local reports, Thomas Martel, a 22-year-old resident of Chicago, surrendered to authorities on Monday following allegations of torturing and killing at least four cats. He has been charged with four felony counts of aggravated cruelty to animals and two felony counts of animal torture. An arrest report revealed that Martel is accused of drowning, squeezing, and mutilating three cats under his care. Shockingly, all the kittens he allegedly killed were named Shelly, and he would give the new kittens he purchased the same name, as reported by local news.
During Martel’s bail hearing, Judge Kelly McCarthy noted a disturbing pattern of behavior. She stated that Martel would kill an animal, replace it with a new one, and then repeat the cycle. This pattern continued for an extended period, resulting in the loss of numerous innocent animal lives. Chicago officers discovered three kittens in a bag at Martel’s Wicker Park apartment. Martel’s girlfriend, who had filed a complaint of animal cruelty against him, claimed that he had microwaved the cats before stuffing them into a plastic bag.
Martel’s girlfriend became aware of the animal abuse after receiving a video from an acquaintance. The video showed Martel throwing a pillowcase, believed to contain his cat named Shelly, into Lake Michigan. On May 26, Martel invited his girlfriend to his apartment to introduce her to his new kitten, also named Shelly. However, on June 6, she allegedly witnessed Martel drowning the new kitten while under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
When Martel’s girlfriend contacted the police, he confessed to microwaving three kittens and hiding them in a cabinet. The girlfriend also reported a foul odor emanating from Martel’s kitchen. Prosecutors revealed that Martel had told his girlfriend that he enjoyed killing cats and had been doing so since he was eight years old. These disturbing revelations have raised concerns about Martel’s mental health and the potential danger he poses to animals.
During the bail hearing, Judge McCarthy set Martel’s bail at $7,500. The arrest report mentioned that Martel had a history of serious mental health issues and was taking prescribed medication at the time of his arrest.