EVANSVILLE — The death of a dog and the near-starvation of another marked the beginning of a grisly animal abuse investigation that ended Wednesday night with the arrests of four people and the rescue of more than two dozen cats and dogs.
Joshua Binkley and Shelia Jones each face more than two-dozen counts of animal cruelty with torture, neglect and abandonment alongside Jones’ parents, Shirley Martin and Timothy Martin.
Binkley, Jones and the Martins, all of whom reportedly lived together in a house trailer on Evansville’s East Side, are being held at the Vanderburgh County jail on $5,400 cash bonds, according to court records.
Earlier on Wednesday, Evansville Animal Control officials raised red flags about two dogs brought to their facility — one dead, one emaciated and barely alive, according to the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office.
“That dog, later named ‘Peanut,’ was in such poor condition that it had to be euthanized,” the VCSO stated in a news release.
Jones is alleged to have told animal control they found the dogs on the side of the road, but officials didn’t buy the story and launched an investigation.
Deputies and animal control officers soon traced the dogs to a trailer at 1904 Westbrook Drive, where they found “appalling” conditions, according to a probable cause affidavit — 11 dogs and 14 cats living amid filth, feces, urine and soaring temperatures inside a powerless trailer.
The affidavit states that Binkley, Jones and the Martins all lived together in the trailer. Binkley and Jones were reportedly in a romantic relationship.
Binkley spoke to officers first and told them the two dogs delivered to animal control earlier that day had in fact resided at the trailer. According to his arrest affidavit, Binkley said one of the dogs died after “being strangled by some type of plastic.”
Timothy Martin later told detectives the dog died after getting its head stuck in a coffee creamer bottle, according to the affidavit.
While Binkley allowed the deputies and officers to enter the trailer, he reportedly only allowed them to step a few feet inside.
“The (animal control) officer observed multiple dogs and cats that were lacking minimal standards of nutrition and sanitation,” the affidavit states, while a deputy observed “feces throughout the entryway.”
Binkley allegedly refused to voluntarily surrender the animals to the authorities and likewise declined to unlock a bedroom belonging to Jones’ parents, who had not yet returned home, prompting the sheriff’s office to obtain a search warrant.
After obtaining the warrant, deputies said the conditions they confronted inside the trailer were so hazardous they were forced to don gas masks and hazmat suits.
“There was no electricity, no ventilation and no safe space for a living creature,” VCSO Lt. Doug Daza said. “This was neglect on a grotesque scale.”
Animal Control officers took custody of the dogs and cats, many of whom were suffering from open sores, matted fur and visible illness. Most were too weak to stand, according to court records.
One dog was “missing a majority of its fur,” Binkley’s arrest affidavit states.
The trailer was later condemned and slated for demolition by the Vanderburgh County Building Commission. The sheriff’s office said nearly every surface inside the trailer was covered in a thick layer of animal feces.
Binkley and the Martins were transported to VCSO headquarters for questioning, while Jones was first taken to a local hospital for treatment of an undisclosed medical condition, according to their arrest affidavits.
Binkley allegedly admitted the animals all resided within the trailer and were within the family’s care.
“(Binkley) informed detectives that he knows the residence is unsanitary and not fit for humans, and stated that the family never reached out for help,” the affidavits state. “(Binkley) could not explain to detectives why the family could not clean the residence but advised that he did not want to get in trouble for the housing conditions of the animals.”
Jones and the Shirleys likewise are alleged to have eventually admitted the roadside discovery story was fabricated and that they were responsible for the animals’ care, according to detectives.
“We will not tolerate animal cruelty in Vanderburgh County,” Sheriff Noah Robinson said in a statement. “Our office will continue to use every investigative tool and resource available to ensure that those who abuse or neglect animals are identified, charged, and held accountable.”
Houston may be contacted at houston.harwood@courierpress.com
This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Twenty five animals rescued from Evansville trailer; residents face dozens of charges
Reporting by Houston Harwood, Evansville Courier & Press / Evansville Courier & Press
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