Neighbors in Orangevale still on edge after alleged cat killer arrested, released
ORANGEVALE — An teen was arrested Tuesday after home surveillance video allegedly linked him to an animal cruelty case.
Colin Lendewig, 18, is charged with felony cruelty to animals as well as petty theft after what the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department calls an extensive investigation.
Two home surveillance videos provided to CBS13 show Lendewig allegedly taking cats from the driveway of a home on Deanna Avenue in September.
In the first video, Lendewig comes into the driveway of the home, picks up a cat lying in the yard, and walks away. Off camera, the cat can be heard crying out in distress, and a disturbing "snap" is heard, and then silence.
A second video shows Lendewig returning to the home and taking another pet cat from the driveway.
"The first time, the subject was seen harming one of the cats, and the second time he was seen stealing the other cat. One of the cats never returned, and the other was found deceased in a nearby yard," said Sacramento County Sheriff's Department investigators in a news release Wednesday.
Neighbors didn't want to be identified out of fear of retaliation but shared their concerns with CBS13 on camera.
"It's very disturbing. But happy now at least some relief that we know who has been doing this and there has been an arrest made," said the first neighbor we spoke with. "That's not OK. We are talking about death here and mutilation. Who knows where that could lead to."
Orangevale neighbors began connecting the dots on social media, sharing information in Facebook groups and on the Nextdoor app about other brutal cat killings and mutilations reported across town. They believe these cases could all be linked.
"The further we got into it, the further we found out that he is a danger to animals," said a second neighbor. "It scares me terribly."
"I don't think he is gonna stop; I think it stopped momentarily, or we have not had word of it lately. But I think it will continue," said a third neighbor.
Neighbors say if this cruelty case is linked to what they describe as possibly "dozens" others, they want police to further their investigation and bring more charges if necessary.
"Now I have to worry every minute of every day that my animals could be at risk or even myself," said a fourth neighbor, with horses and cats that live outside.
"What's he gonna kill next?" asked a fifth neighbor.
CBS13's Ashley Sharp went to the home of the suspect Wednesday night and spoke with his parents. They declined to be interviewed or give a comment on this story.
Detectives are asking anyone with information relating to this incident to contact the Sheriff's Office at (916) 874-5115 or Sacramento Valley Crime Stoppers at (916) 443-HELP. Tip information may also be left anonymously at www.sacsheriff.com.