Man Charged With Killing and Eating Roommate's Pet Rabbit

A North Hollywood man is facing felony charges for allegedly killing, skinning and partially eating his former girlfriend’s pet rabbit and then threatening to do the same to her, prosecutors said today.

Dimitri Diatchenko, 46, is set to be arraigned Dec. 30 on one count each of cruelty to an animal and making criminal threats, according to Deputy District Attorney Lou Holtz.

Diatchenko allegedly used a knife to kill the rabbit and then threatened his ex-girlfriend -- with whom he had lived for some time after their romantic relationship ended -- after she said they should not be roommates any longer, according to the prosecutor.

He is accused of skinning the rabbit, cooking the animal and eating half of it while sending the woman step-by-step photos of what he did to her pet while she was out of the house, according to the prosecutor.

When the woman returned, Diatchenko allegedly threatened to do the same thing to her, Holtz said.

If convicted as charged, Diatchenko faces up to four years and eight months behind bars, according to the District Attorney’s Office.

• City News Service