Overview
- Mesa police arrested Geoffrey Washington, 38, and booked him on theft, animal cruelty and endangerment in connection with the case.
- Detectives located the dog, Buddy, at the Arizona Humane Society in Phoenix and reunited him with owner Janna Reynolds.
- Police and court records say Washington had been staying at Reynolds' home and refused to return Buddy after taking him for a walk on Oct. 6.
- Investigators report Washington gave conflicting accounts, including claiming the dog was "ours," asserting he paid $200 without proof, and later saying his texts were a joke.
- Court records note initial hearings later in October, including a scheduled appearance on Oct. 16, and Reynolds says Buddy will require costly retraining.