GA Man Killed Ex’s Dog, Attacked Her In Her FL Home: U.S. DOJ

TAMPA, FL — A Georgia man who killed his ex-girlfriend’s dog and threatened to kill her was indicted on multiple charges, according to a U.S. Department of Justice news release.

Timothy Crawford, 52, was charged with interstate domestic violence, discharge of a firearm during and in the commission of a crime, and interstate stalking.

If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years up to life in federal prison.

On Dec. 7, Crawford left Atlanta to drive to his ex-girlfriend’s home in Odessa, the DOJ said. Armed with a pistol and stun gun, he broke into her home around 8 p.m. that evening and waited for her to return home.

When she got back to the house, Crawford punched, kicked and stunned her numerous times, “telling her that he was going to kill her and her children,” the DOJ said.

She defended herself with a dumbbell and escaped the home. Before he left, Crawford shot and killed the woman’s dog, an 8-pound Maltese.

A neighbor who heard her screams called 911. Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded and immediately took him into custody.

Deputies found a .40-caliber pistol on the dining room table and saw blood all over the house, including in the garage, laundry room, bedroom and front entry area, the DOJ said.

His ex-girlfriend suffered severe injuries in the attack, including stun-gun burns; a fractured left orbital bone, nose, ring finger, and hand; extensive bruising to her body, neck, and face; and a laceration to her head requiring stitches.

Crawford admitted to breaking into the victim’s house, using a taser on her, punching her in the face and killing her dog, the DOJ said.

Search warrants executed on his phone revealed that prior to the attack, Crawford searched on his phone, “Do you get the death penalty if you kill a woman?”