HOWELL, NJ – Christopher Sanchez, a 29-year-old resident of Howell Township, has been charged with intentionally killing his pet cat named Lilith, according to Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago. Sanchez is facing a third-degree Animal Cruelty charge for unnecessarily or cruelly abusing a living animal, resulting in its death.
On Friday, members of the Howell Township Police Department found Lilith’s body outside Sanchez’s residence while responding to an unrelated matter. Following an investigation by the Howell Township Police Department and the Monmouth County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) Humane Law Enforcement Division, it was determined that Sanchez had used a sharp instrument to kill Lilith two days prior.
Sanchez was arrested on the same day as the initial police response and taken to the Monmouth County Correctional Institution (MCCI). He is awaiting a detention hearing scheduled for Wednesday, April 12, at Monmouth County Superior Court. If convicted of the criminal charges, Sanchez could face up to five years in state prison.