Petition for strict prosecution of alleged Orangevale cat killer gathers 2,500 signatures
ORANGEVALE -- An alleged cat killer heads back to court Thursday, Nov. 17, but some neighbors are organizing early to ask that he is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
At this time, evidence supports just one cruelty case; however, community members began sounding the alarm and connecting the dots on social media sites after, they allege, several other mutilated cats were found around town around the same time -- cases they believe could be connected.
As CBS13 has previously reported, neighbors in Orangevale have been involved in the case since before 18-year-old Colin Lendewig was arrested on suspicion of animal cruelty and petty theft in October 2022.
Neighbors have hired a private investigator out-of-pocket, turned evidence over to police and organized on social media. Now, they have circulated a petition community-wide with more than 2,500 signatures to send a message to the county's top prosecutor and the alleged cat killer himself. It was delivered to the district attorney's office by a group of neighbors.
"We are Orangevale. Don't mess with us," said Denise Triplett, a neighbor who knows Lendewig personally.
That's the shared mentality of those who live in the Orangevale community.
Home surveillance video obtained by CBS13 captured the moment Lendewig walked into a driveway and stole one neighbor's pet cat in August that was never seen again. A second video catches Lendewig in the act again; taking another cat on a second trip to the same house a month later. According to Sacramento County Sheriff's Office police report, this pet cat was found dead in a neighboring yard.
"I think it's gonna get worse. I mean, it's the first signs of a serial killer," said Triplett.
Court documents obtained by CBS13 reveal the Sacramento County district attorney believes Lendewig did "willfully, unlawfully, maliciously and intentionally maim, mutilate, torture and wound a living animal, a brown and black cat named Rose."
Rose is the cat shown in the second home surveillance video. The cat can be heard screeching and yelping in distress as she is carried from the driveway, off camera a loud "snap" is heard, and then silence follows.
"If he isn't locked up, then justice will not be done," said one neighbor who asked CBS13 to remain anonymous.
Several concerned neighbors spoke with CBS13 on camera but asked not to be identified out of fear of retaliation. They also signed the petition that was delivered to the DA's office, asking for a strong case and that they take this seriously.
"We would like to see him prosecuted to the full extent of the law. We don't want to see this dropped for our animals' sake, and for his sake too," said a second neighbor.
"It's gonna be front and center for all of us until something is done," a third neighbor told CBS13.
For further context, CBS13 reached out to Emily Lewis, the Managing Attorney for the Criminal Justice Program at the Animal Legal Defense Fund. She supervises and facilitates assistance in active criminal cases, working directly with law enforcement agencies, prosecutors and rescue groups. She supports and trains front-line responders on search warrant drafting, evidence collection and preservation, and best practices for scene processing.
"I think animal cruelty is being taken more seriously than it has in the past," Lewis said.
"Animal cruelty cases are difficult because you have a victim that can't tell you in words what happened."
Lewis says cases involving animals are complex and often times there is less documented evidence.
"It's the prosecutor's job to be able to tell the story of what happened to this victim animal and bring in the experts that can speak to what we saw on the Ring camera, what occurred off camera, the injuries found," said Lewis.
According to ALDF research, the state of California actually ranks high for having strong animal cruelty laws. It ranks ninth in the country.
Under California law, the maximum penalty for an animal cruelty conviction is three years in prison, a $20,000 fine, or both jail time and a fine.
Plus, California requires mandatory counseling after a conviction.
"Animal cruelty has a link, a well-documented link, to other interpersonal violence and violence against vulnerable populations like children and others," said Lewis. "We want to resolve the root cause of what made that happen in the first place so there are not future victims," said Lewis.
Lewis admits it is rare for someone convicted of animal cruelty to get the maximum sentence on a first offense.
As this case works through the court system, neighbors wait patiently and work diligently to keep the spotlight on.
"We are gonna be at every single court hearing that there is. I'm gonna be at every one," said Triplett.
Lendewig was released from custody on $25,000 bail. He is scheduled for a court hearing on the morning of Nov. 17.
CBS13 reached out to Lendewig's attorney and parents prior to the publishing of this story. Both responded, declining a request for comment.