Man charged with torturing, killing cats at his Wicker Park apartment
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A Wicker Park man has been charged with killing at least four cats by drowning them, mutilating them, or in one case, putting one in a microwave.
Thomas Martel, 22, is charged with two felony counts of animal torture and four felony counts of aggravated cruelty to animals.
According to a Chicago police report, Martel turned himself in at the Shakespeare (14th) District station on Monday after detectives had established probable cause to arrest him for drowning and squeezing two cats to death and mutilating a third cat at his apartment in Wicker Park. A witness had also told police he had microwaved another cat to death.
Cook County court documents reveal Martel is accused of drowning and squeezing the chest of two different tabby cats, mutilating a third with a sharp object, and putting a fourth tabby in the microwave and turning it on. All four cats were named Shelly.
According to the arrest report, Martel takes prescribed medication for an unspecified mental illness.
His bond has been set at $75,000, and he has been ordered placed on electronic monitoring if he can post bail. He also has been prohibited to "obtain, control, or have contact" with any other animals if he is released, and any other animals already at his home will be removed before he can return.