Charge Filed In Connection With Dog Killed By Gunshot in Vernon

VERNON, CT — A 53-year-old Vernon man has been charged with the illegal discharge of a firearm in connection with the shooting death of a dog in a hunting incident last month, police said.

The man, Peter Martinelli, surrendered at Vernon police headquarters Monday after learning a warrant had been issued for his arrest, police said.

Police began investigating the Case on Nov. 5, when residents of Bolton Road said they found their dog dead from a gunshot wound on property along the 600 block, according to a warrant. The residents told police their German shepherd had run off at about 4:30 p.m. two days earlier and they found the dog deceased the following day. The residents indicated they heard a gunshot shortly after the dog ran out of sight.

Police said in a warrant the dog died from a single gunshot to the torso. The dog was located "in view" of a hunting stand, according to a warrant.

According to a warrant, one of the residents visited Martinell on Nov. 4 and Martinelli acknowledged that he had shot the dog, but left it in the woods because there was no identifying information on the collar and "didn't know how to handle the situation." Martinelli claimed he was threatened by the neighbor, but did not want to press charges.

Martinelli said he owns 12 acres of land and was out hunting on Nov. 3, according to a warrant. He continued in his testimony by saying he was positioned in a tree stand and had seen a deer wander into his range from about 50 yards away, but declined to fire on the "young buck," according to a warrant.

Martinelli said he saw what looked like a coyote that seemed to be stalking the deer from about 40 yards away. He then aimed and shot the animal, but became "unnerved" and "shocked" when he discovered it was a dog, according to a warrant. Martinelli said he was willing to "bet his life" it was a coyote from his position.