Charles Peele, courtesy of Prince William County Police.Following an investigation, Charles Lee Peele III, 65, of Nokesville surrendered himself to Prince William Police, Monday evening, for the crime of killing two Nokesville German Shepherds, Zoey and Maddie, back in early November.
Peele has been charged with two counts of felony animal cruelty and two counts of reckless handling of a firearm.
According to Prince William Police, Animal Control Officers began an investigation Nov. 8, 2015, after a German Shepherd was found dead in a wooded area located in the 10700 block of Lonesome R0ad in Nokesville.
“The owner of the dog initially reported this dog and another German Shepherd missing to Animal Shelter staff on Nov. 6. On Nov. 8, during a search of the property, the owner located the dog, identified as 5-month-old ‘Zoey’ deceased with an apparent gunshot wound,” said police spokesperson Sgt. Jonathan Perok.
The next day, the second dog, identified as 9-year-old Maddie, was also found dead with an apparent gunshot wound.
Both dogs were turned over to Prince William Animal Control for further examination. Upon completion of necropsies, it was determined that both canines had died as a result of gunshot-related injuries.
During the investigation, Peele was identified as a possible suspect. Dec. 1, Following the investigation, warrants were obtained for his arrest; Peele turned himself over to police later that evening.
The deaths of the two family pets shocked and angered the community. Community members even created a Facebook page called Justice for Maddie & Zoey.
Peele’s court date has been set for Jan. 13, 2016. He has been released on a $5,000 secured bond.
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