Florida 'Santa Claus' kills dog with rifle after 911 calls about 'aggressive' behavior go unnoticed: affidavit
Photo: St. Lucie County Sheriffs Office
ST. LUCIE COUNTY, Fla. - A Florida man who, according to a witness, bears a resemblance to "Santa Claus," was arrested after he allegedly shot and killed a dog with a rifle, per an arrest affidavit from the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office.
Joseph Seale, 61, was arrested and charged with discharging a firearm into public or residential property, use or display of a firearm during a felony and three counts of felony animal cruelty after the incident that unfolded in Fort Pierce on Dec. 12, according to arrest records.
Deputies arrived to the 3200 block of Avenue D in Fort Pierce that afternoon in reference to a dog being shot, according to the affidavit obtained by FOX 35. The caller described the alleged shooter as an "older white male who looks like ‘Santa Claus (sic),'" adding that he came through the woods from Metzger Road and shot the dog with a rifle.
When they got there, they found a dead dog "surrounded in a pool and droplets of blood" and four .22 caliber shell casings, the affidavit said. A second dog was found shot inside the abandoned house; deputies said the bullet wound was through-and-through.
'Bone-chilling': Florida man stuffs dog into trash bag, flings it in dumpster after owners die, sheriff says
Detectives obtained "bone-chilling" surveillance video of the incident behind the Family Dollar store, which allegedly shows Anthony Bellman grabbing a black trash bag from the trunk of his blue SUV and flinging it into a dumpster.
A neighbor told deputies that the alleged shooter, identified as Seale, lives at a nearby house and heard three to four gunshots coming from the area where the dog was shot and killed, the affidavit said. The neighbor also said he reportedly heard Seale say "he was going to take care of business."
When deputies began looking into Seale, they found 911 call history from a man named "Joe" who "threatened to shoot and kill the dogs," the affidavit said. Deputies made contact with Seale, placed him into handcuffs and read him his Miranda Rights.
Seale agreed to speak with deputies, and told them that he called 911 several times about the "aggressive dogs" at the nearby abandoned house, but nothing was ever done about it.
"He took it upon himself to take care of the problem," the affidavit said.
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There are reportedly three dogs that live at this abandoned house, but Seale "only shot and killed one" that day, deputies said. The other dogs scattered into the woods.
Deputies recovered the rifle Seale allegedly used to kill the dog and it was submitted into evidence.
Seale remains in custody on $18,250 bond.