Suspected Serial Animal Abuser Arrested in L.A. After Allegedly Torturing Cat to Death

The Los Angeles Sheriff's Department is asking for more information about an ongoing animal cruelty investigation after a 27-year-old man was arrested on charges of torturing/killing a live animal

A Los Angeles man has been arrested and is awaiting arraignment on suspicion of torturing and killing a cat.

On April 11, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said in a press release on Facebook that its South Los Angeles Station is investigating an animal cruelty case after a suspect took a cat from a Lawndale, Calif., home's driveway and repeatedly struck it on the sidewalk.

Per the press release, 27-year-old Rogelio Diaz is accused of torturing the cat on April 5. According to local CBS affiliate station KCAL, Diaz was captured via security camera footage crossing a busy Lawndale street, entering a driveway and bending over to pick up the cat, which the owner said was named Mimi.

"I seen a guy leaning down with gloves so I told my daughter to go outside because I think someone took the cat," the cat's owner's mother told KCAL. "She thought the cat was going to live, but she was too hurt, and she died in my daughter's arms."

"The cat was on the sidewalk, agonizing, because he had tortured the cat for 11 minutes," she added to the outlet in an interview. "The amount of hurt I see in my daughter is just terrifying."

The pet owner asked the outlet to remain anonymous because she feared that the man might be violent.

"If he did it to a cat with no remorse, he could do it to a child," she said.

Diaz was arrested on April 11 for allegedly torturing/killing a live animal, according to the press release, but investigators allege that he is a serial animal abuser and said their investigation remains ongoing.

"Based on the nature of the offense and additional evidence, detectives believe there may be additional victims," the press release said.

KCAL reported that investigators found cat food on Diaz's person when he was arrested.

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Diaz is set to be arraigned on April 15 at the Torrance Courthouse and bail has not yet been set, per the sheriff'soOffice.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is encouraging individuals with more information about the alleged animal abuse incident or Diaz to contact the South Los Angeles Station at (323) 820-6700 or (323) 820-6761 or to contact Crime Stoppers to report information about the case anonymously.

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