West Jordan, UT – A West Jordan man was arrested on Wednesday and charged with animal cruelty and drug possession after allegedly strangling his dog and burying it in his backyard.
Michael George Orfanos, 30, was charged in 3rd District Court on Thursday with one count of torture of a companion animal, a third-degree felony, and one count of drug possession, a Class A misdemeanor.
The arrest followed a tip from a person who claimed Orfanos had confessed to killing his dog and burying the animal behind his home. According to a police booking affidavit, officers responded to a residence near 1300 West and 7050 South and questioned Orfanos about the alleged incident.
When police arrived, Orfanos reportedly denied having any dogs in his home. However, when asked about the presence of dog feces in the backyard, he allegedly admitted that three days earlier, he had choked his dog, named Lucious, during an emotional outburst. Orfanos told police that while choking the dog, it struggled to breathe and ultimately died. He further stated that, despite having abused the dog in the past, he had not been angry with Lucious at the time of the incident.
The breed of Lucious has not been identified, and it remains unclear whether the dog had been previously subjected to mistreatment as suggested by Orfanos.
In addition to the animal cruelty charge, officers reported discovering heroin in Orfanos’ possession during his arrest. He was taken into custody and is currently being held in connection with both charges.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the case, and Orfanos is scheduled for a future court appearance to address the allegations.