Largo Man Captured On Video Killing Girlfriend's Dog: Sheriff

LARGO, FL — A 21-year-old Largo man is facing charges of aggravated animal cruelty and tampering with a crime scene after the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office said he was caught on surveillance video killing his girlfriend's dog.

After her dog received a series of mysterious injuries, the girlfriend told deputies she began to suspect her boyfriend, Matthew Cole Fox, 21, was abusing her dog. So she installed a Ring video camera in the kitchen without Fox's knowledge.

While she was out of her apartment on Sequoia Terrace Feb. 18, the video camera captures Fox cornering and teasing the dog, which begins growling and barking.

Fox then moves off camera where the dog can still be heard growling and barking, followed by a loud thud.

Fox comes back into view of the camera and washes his hands in the kitchen sink. The video captures him walking on and off camera with paper towels, appearing to clean up the scene, according to deputies.

Minutes later, he appears on camera holding the lifeless body of the dog. He walks through the living room -- where he was aware there is a camera -- holding the dead dog behind his back to conceal it, and takes it into the master bedroom where he makes it appear as if the dog's death was natural.

Hours later, the girlfriend returns home to find her dog dead.

After the sheriff's office reviewed the video, Fox was arrested Tuesday and his bond was set at $7,000.

The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office has not released the video of the Fox carrying the dead dog.