Overview

• Neighbors heard yelps from Williamson’s Dogwood Drive home on May 19 before officers discovered the puppy’s charred body outside.
• He was arrested on May 26 and charged with aggravated animal cruelty, a class C felony for which he was held on a $15,000 bond.
• Sergeant Darrell McMann, who owns a chihuahua himself, described the case as “horrible and inhumane” and said the current penalty does not fit the severity of the act.
• The class C felony designation means Williamson could avoid significant prison time depending on his criminal history and the court’s discretion.
• The incident has ignited public outrage and intensified calls from officers and animal advocates for tougher cruelty laws in Alabama.