Woman turns to Will County after Cook County won't take up prosecution of ex-boyfriend in killing of her dogs
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Sarah Manos' pets were brutally killed, and finally, she now has some closure.
As CBS 2's Tara Molina reported Tuesday, Manos' boyfriend killed her dogs while they were quarantining for the COVID-19 pandemic. The Cook County State's Attorney's office said they didn't have the evidence to prosecute him criminally – so the woman took her case to another county.
Will County has a history of prosecuting such crimes – and in this case, one of Manos' dogs was killed in Cook County, the other in Will County. Manos calls the active Will County criminal case the justice for which she worked years.
The Bichon mixes, 6-year-old Kirby and 13-month=old Daisy, were best buds during COVID-19 related stay-at-home order periods back in 2020.
"I still miss them every day," Manos said.
It has been that long since Sarah Manos has seen them.
"I still look at pictures of them," she said, "and just the reality of knowing what happened to them."
What is that reality? Manos says her ex-Boyfriend, Matthew Berry - a new boyfriend at the time - tortured and killed Kirby and Daisy while quarantining with them.
She says he kicked the dogs and beat them, and injected something into Daisy.
"He, to this day I believe, still denies it," Manos said.
Police confirmed abuse was the cause of both deaths. And while Manos was able to secure an order of protection against Berry, and was awarded $162,338 and change in damages by a Cook County judge in a civil case this past winter, the Cook County State's Attorney's Office told Sarah they didn't have evidence sufficient for criminal animal cruelty charges.
"It was really defeating and heartbreaking," Manos said.
But she didn't give up. Realizing the abuse spanned two counties, she turned to Mokena police and the Will County State's Attorney's office.
"They really pursue justice against animal cruelty," Manos said.
Cook County didn't have enough evidence to move forward, but Will County did.
Prosecutors there pressed three felony charges against Berry for the killing of Manos' dog Kirby in Mokena – two aggravated cruelty charges and an animal torture charge.
"It's ironic we are using that charge in the current case," said Will County State's Attorney James W. Glasgow.
That is because Glasgow wrote the Illinois Animal Torture Law back in 1999.
"Anyone who abused an animal has a propensity to abuse others," he said.
Glasgow could not speak to Manos' open case, but he said the team of three in the Will County State's Attorney's office's designated Animal Protection Unit is working around the clock - every day.
"At the end of all of our animal prosecutions, we're looking to help the offender not reoffend," Glasgow said.
None of this, of course, will bring Kirby and Daisy back. But Manos has learned something. A grand jury indictment was returned against Berry on June 23, and an arraignment is set for next week – all just months after those in another county prosecutor's office said no.
"Fighting for justice and getting justice makes it a little bit easier," Manos said. "Just keep fighting, and do what's right."
Manos pursued and figured all of this out on her own – saying she thinks there should be victim advocates in cases like hers, where one county may not be able to move forward with a case, but another can.
That is something for which she's advocating moving forward.
Berry's arraignment is set for Monday, Aug. 1.
The Cook County State's Attorney's office declined to comment on the case, as it is not involved:
"The arresting police agency and/or prosecutor's office handling the case are the appropriate resources to provide information on this matter. We are unable to comment as it is outside of our jurisdiction."
An attorney for Berry did not return two calls for requests for comment.