RICHMOND, Va. — Richmond police officers said they arrested the person who set a dog named Tommie on fire earlier this year while the pit bull was tied to a fence.
Tommie died five days later.
Police said Monday that the U.S. Marshals Regional Fugitive Task Force took Jyahshua A. Hill, 20, of the 1300 block of St. Peter Street into custody around 3 p.m.
“There are a lot of people to thank, but I’d like to single out all the citizens who contributed tips that pointed us in the right direction,” said Interim Police Chief William C. Smith. “That, plus the excellent job done by arson investigators who did the bulk of the work, major crimes detectives, forensics technicians and animal control officers who all built a strong case to present to the grand jury.”
On February 10, members of the Richmond Fire Department got a call about a dog on fire at Abner Clay Park. The pit bull was tied to a chain-link fence, doused with a flammable liquid, and set on fire.
Richmond Animal Care and Control officers were the people who gave the dog the name "Tommie." People at the Cary Street Veterinary Hospital cared for him. Tommie had burns on 40 percent of his body. Although it seemed he was going to make it at one point, he died on February 15.
A multi-jurisdictional grand jury indicted Hill on May 8 on one count of Felony Animal Cruelty.