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GOLDEN, Colo. -- A Littleton man who pleaded not guilty to charges of stealing puppies from the Colorado Humane Society, binding them with duct tape and then setting them on fire is scheduled to appear Friday morning in Jefferson County District Court.
Ryan Turtura, 19, is accused of 10 felony counts, including theft, arson, burglary and animal cruelty.
Authorities allege that Turtura broke in to an Englewood animal shelter in February and stole five puppies, then burned three of them. Police say Turtura initially admitted to the crimes but entered a not guilty plea during his arraignment in June.
A worker at an Arvada movie theater was taking out the trash when he found two of the dogs in a burning portable kennel. They had been bound with duct tape. Another dog was found on fire in a stairwell behind a Jefferson County gym. He said he saw a man escape carrying two other dogs.
Two of the burned animals died. An injured black Labrador puppy that survived was adopted.
Police later found a drug store surveillance video showing a man purchasing duct tape and rubbing alcohol the night the dogs were killed. The video was from a Walgreens drug store near the crime scene. Officers released an enhanced copy of the video, which aired on local TV news station and then received a phone call from the mother of Turtura's girlfriend, who recognized him.
"Since my daughter is dating him, if there was a remote chance this might have been him, I wanted to make sure that all of that activity was stopped," said the mother, Rhonda Redgate.
If convicted, Turtura could face up to 40 years in prison.
Ryan Turtura, 19, is accused of 10 felony counts, including theft, arson, burglary and animal cruelty.
Authorities allege that Turtura broke in to an Englewood animal shelter in February and stole five puppies, then burned three of them. Police say Turtura initially admitted to the crimes but entered a not guilty plea during his arraignment in June.
A worker at an Arvada movie theater was taking out the trash when he found two of the dogs in a burning portable kennel. They had been bound with duct tape. Another dog was found on fire in a stairwell behind a Jefferson County gym. He said he saw a man escape carrying two other dogs.
Two of the burned animals died. An injured black Labrador puppy that survived was adopted.
Police later found a drug store surveillance video showing a man purchasing duct tape and rubbing alcohol the night the dogs were killed. The video was from a Walgreens drug store near the crime scene. Officers released an enhanced copy of the video, which aired on local TV news station and then received a phone call from the mother of Turtura's girlfriend, who recognized him.
"Since my daughter is dating him, if there was a remote chance this might have been him, I wanted to make sure that all of that activity was stopped," said the mother, Rhonda Redgate.
If convicted, Turtura could face up to 40 years in prison.
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