Trial Starts For Woman Accused Of Killing 5 Dogs In Fairfield

FAIRFIELD, CT — The trial began Monday for a woman accused of killing five dogs more than three years ago in a Fairfield home, after a motion to dismiss the charges against her was denied.

Noting the “clear smell of rotten flesh,” Judge Peter McShane determined that the defendant's former landlord and the police had legally entered the Prince Street residence when the bodies were found.

McShane denied the request to drop the five felony counts of maliciously killing an animal and one count of first-degree criminal property damage that Heidi E. Lueders faces. He also ruled to allow evidence seized, despite defense attorney Robert Serafinowicz’s motion that it be suppressed.

The trial, which is being overseen by McShane and has no jury, commenced under the watchful eyes of members of animal law advocacy group Desmond’s Army, who wore matching purple sweatshirts and quietly observed the proceedings. The first witness called was Celly Roberts, Lueders’ former landlord.

During extensive pre-trial testimony in December, a tearful Roberts explained how she went to the rental property due to concerns the heat wasn’t working, found the dead dogs in crates and discovered the home had been “destroyed.”

Also in the December pre-trial proceedings, police described the “exigent circumstances” under which they entered the residence Nov. 14, 2018, encountering an "extreme amount of garbage, filth and a few carcasses" as well as drug paraphernalia. Detective Kerry Dalling explained how, when Lueders turned herself in to police two months later, a tired-looking Lueders cried and said she heard the animals barking in her head, asking if she would go to jail or she could ever own dogs again.

Lueders is the former president of Bully Breed Rescue Inc. and had told the rescue’s members she sent four of the dogs to a sanctuary and the fifth to a foster home.

The trial will continue Tuesday.