Millcreek man facing felony charge for allegedly beating service dog

Marvin Javier Lopez. Photo: Salt Lake County

MILLCREEK, Utah, April 25, 2020 (Gephardt Daily) — A Millcreek man is facing felony charges after police say he was found in a shared apartment with a puppy that was beaten nearly to death.

Marvin Javier Lopez, 24, faces charges of torture of a companion animal, a third-degree felony; and possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person, also a third-degree felony.

Officers were summoned on Feb. 7 to an eastside apartment complex, regarding a wanted person.

“The reporting party advised Marvin Lopez was at the home beating a five month old black lab, a companion animal, nearly to death,” the probable cause statement says. “The reporting party advised they observed Mr. Lopez in the bathroom with the dog yelping in pain …

“Upon arrival, I located Mr. Lopez at the residence with a black lab on the floor, whimpering, and unable to walk.”

Lopez, who had active felony warrants for his arrest, was cuffed and taken into custody, the statement says.

“Mr. Lopez was also found in possession of a loaded 9 mm firearm which he advised he purchased for protection for his family.”

An indictment filed Friday adds more details, saying the complainant awoke to the sound of Lopez beating the puppy., and observed “blood on the walls and the feet of Lopez.”

The man said he tried to open the bathroom door, but Lopez shut it. The man said he grabbed his niece and the gun near Lopez’s bed and left the house “because he was scared of what would happen.”

An officer from Salt Lake County Animal Services noted the puppy on the living room floor, unable to move his hind legs, salivating profusely, with signs he was in shock, the indictment says. The officer also observed signs the puppy had serious internal injuries, and was in need of immediate medical care, the document says.

Court paperwork does not reveal if the puppy survived.

8 COMMENTS

  1. Did you take the puppy to the animal hospital? If he beats a harmless animal I can bet he beats his wife and children! Do let him out on bail he is a Detriment to other people! He will cause bodily harm to others!
    I want to know what happened to the puppy?

  2. It’s people like him that need to suffer as much as the dog did! Since that’s not possible (I’d be arrested and probably found guilty of assault or attempted murder), please. PLEASE help people understand this is not acceptable behavioral and THROW THE BOOK AT HIM!!!! Lock his ass up!

  3. What happened to the dog? Is it being cared for? Does it have someone to care for it?
    Any person that beats on an animal deserves serious repercussions for his actions.

  4. Lock his ass up indefinitely. He does this to a defenseless animal he won’t hesitate to do it to a person. He deserves to have the same treatment but I’d be arrested on assault or attempted murder charges. Courts need to take a stand and do what’s right. This behavior should not be tolerated!!!!!!

  5. I wondered if the puppy would be up for adopting at any time. That poor little puppy should never have endured that abuse. That man should be put in jail for a very long time and never be allowed to have a pet again.

  6. This makes me so sick to hear. I really need to know what happened with the puppy? Is the puppy ok? What’s is the current status on the poor puppy? Anyone with any info on the status of this puppy, can you please let me know???

  7. If any of you talking shit actually knew Marvin.. You know this would be the last thing he would ever do.. When at parties he would rather play around with the dot.. A bunch of my friends actually left their dogs there with him because they knew he was the best one to watch the dogs. Not a single thing happened. His partner told our friend group that he didn’t do what the knees his saying, maybe they should look at his partners brother that has been living off of them for years and is a little punk that try’s to fight Marvin any chance he gets… But yes let’s lokk at the brown kids that has a weapon even though most households have weapons legal or not… Stop stirring the pot and actually ask the right people for answersnthat actually went on that day…. This is kinda pathetic

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