Man kills biting dog, hides body in backyard, police say

Man kills biting dog, hides body in backyard, police say

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MAGNA — A Magna man killed his dog and hid its body in his backyard, according to charges filed Tuesday in 3rd District Court.

Eric Delynn Burns, 24, is charged with torture of a companion animal, a third-degree felony; two class A misdemeanor counts of domestic violence in the presence of a child and assaulting a police officer; two class B misdemeanor counts of threatening violence; and interfering with an arresting officer, also a class B misdemeanor.

Burns was at his girlfriend's home near 8600 West and 2700 South on July 15 when he allegedly kicked his dog against a wall as retaliation for being bit. The dog began having seizures, and Burns continued to hit the animal in the head until he was confident it was dead, according to charging documents.

Burns is also accused of threatening to kill his girlfriend and her 12-year-old daughter after the girl told her mother two days later that Burns had killed the dog. Burns had asked the girl to say the dog ran away, charges state.

Charging documents say Burns kicked Unified Police officers, told them "not to poke the bear" and resisted arrest when they arrived at the home. After he was subdued by the officers, Burns led them to a partially constructed backyard fire pit where the officers reported finding the dog's body.

Burns' initial court date hasn't been set.

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Ben Lockhart

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