Officer Kerlin spoke with Courtney Smith, who advised him that she had traveled to New York in November of 2021 and left her pit bull with her brother, Harvey Willis Smith Jr.
When she returned in March of 2021, she was unaware of what occurred to her dog. Courtney Smith said her brother gave her his old cell phone to use until she could get a new one. At that time, she began to examine photos left on his phone. She discovered a series of photos and a video of her brother slaying a dog.
Courtney Smith described them showing the rear seat of a vehicle with blood, her brother holding a severed dog’s head, and a video of her brother holding the dog’s skull and moving its jaw as if it was talking. When she questioned her brother about the photos, he admitted the dog was hers and that he had “put the dog out of its misery” in a joking manner.
When investigated, a series of photos and a video obtained did show the incident as described by Courtney Smith. The evidence was also consistent with a residence located at 1015 Lake Ave., Griffin, Georgia.
Harvey Smith was contacted by the police department in reference to another case by Detective Rich Powell. During the interview, Smith was questioned about the dog.
Harvey Smith told Detective Powell that he did not kill the dog but that he had “eaten the dog” after it had been hit by a car. The photos provided did not support his account of the incident.
Warrants have been issued for Harvey Willis Smith Jr. for Aggravated Felony Cruelty to Animals. He was arrested.
“This is one of the most disturbing Animal Cruelty cases I have seen in 30 plus years,” said Chief Mike Yates, City of Griffin Police Chief. “I cannot comprehend the mind of an individual who would commit such acts on an innocent and defenseless animal.
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