Orangevale neighbors believe cat killer caught on camera connected to multiple brutal killings
ORANGEVALE -- Neighbors in Orangevale believe a cat killer is terrorizing furry friends in their community. They fear what -- or who -- might be the killer's next target.
Neighbors say after a host of reported mysterious killings and disappearances of people's cats, they believe all of the cases are connected. People have reported these occurrences on social media sites to warn their neighbors and the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office.
"I have a cat that lives indoor/outdoor. Every night, I try to make sure she is in the house," said a neighbor.
The neighbors CBS13 spoke with asked for their identities not to be released out of fear of retaliation.
"He has a problem and he has no empathy," the neighbor added.
They say the doorbell video of a neighbor whose cat was killed right in front of their home shows the individual in question.' Sacramento County sheriff's deputies are investigating the incident, but have not confirmed if the person is linked or a suspect.
The video was obtained by CBS13 and shows a young male walking up to a home, apparently cat-napping his victim, and then what appears to be a disturbing escalation off camera.
"You see him walking up to a cat and a cat screeching, you hear a snap, and then no more screeching," said the neighbor. The cat was found dead by its owners.
After members of this community claimed more than a dozen brutal cat killings and disappearances had been reported across Orangevale, neighbors began taking action. They put out flyers and took to social media to connect the dots.
Another neighbor who asked to remain anonymous told CBS13 she hired a private investigator, covering the cost out of pocket, to find the person responsible.
"We are terrified; we live in fear," she said. ="Nothing is being done. And more cats are dying almost nightly. t's bad enough that they are killed but it just magnifies it that they are tortured. Sweet little kitties that he walks up and grabs."
They even took their concerns to a regularly scheduled community meeting Tuesday night with county supervisor Sue Frost. Frost addressed the topic at the meeting, saying she was made aware of the problem Tuesday by her staff. She reassured community members in attendance that it will be taken seriously.
"If he is hurting animals, what's next? We can't just stand by and let that happen in our community," said Frost. "If that's happening and he's doing that, he needs to go to jail."
Neighbors agree.
"If you start with cats you usually don't end there. It often escalates to something bigger," said the first neighbor CBS13 spoke with. a neighbor.
They promise they are not going to give up. Residents of Orangevale continue to connect the dots over social media and apps like Nextdoor to link recent cat killings that they believe are all linked to one person based on the cruelty of the animal's deaths.
On Wednesday, the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office confirmed that they had investigated a case of an Eden Oaks Drive resident's cats going missing back on Sept. 7. Animal control officers reported that the resident claimed she had evidence of someone taking the cats off her property.
One of the resident's cats was found dead, the sheriff's office says; the other remains missing.