Sarasota Cat Killer Convicted on Felony Charge

SARASOTA — A year ago, George H. Boyd shot and killed his neighbor’s pet cat. On Tuesday, Boyd was convicted of felony Aggravated Animal Cruelty, a crime that carries a maximum possible sentence of five years in prison.

Boyd had alleged that his business, Lucky’s Boat Storage, was struggling with a feral cat problem in the neighborhood, which had led to boats being damaged. In retaliation, he shot and killed what turned out to be his neighbor’s pet cat. The cat’s owner was devastated by the defendant’s actions.

At sentencing, Boyd continued to assert that he acted to protect his business. Contrary to his testimony, the cat’s owner testified that she saw the cat on her neighbor’s property before it fell dead in the street. The prosecution noted that there was no evidence whatsoever that the cat was ever even on the defendant’s property that day, and that even if it were, that would not create a basis for killing it.

Furthermore, the cat’s owner had seen the defendant hide the rifle alongside his leg and run away from the scene after he shot the cat, suggesting he clearly knew what he had just done was wrong and illegal.

During the pendency of the case, the defense filed a Motion to Discharge the case. After the state prevailed on the motion, the defendant entered an open plea. Judge Donna Padar sentenced Boyd to an adjudication of guilt, making him a convicted felon, with a sentence that included 15 days in jail, with credit for time served, and 36 months of probation. He is also prohibited from owning pets or contacting the cat's owner during his probation.

At issue in the sentencing was whether the defendant would be entitled to a “Withhold of Adjudication” based on his lack of prior criminal history. The prosecution noted that it was critical that he be adjudicated a convicted felon to prevent him from ever possessing a firearm again based on the defendant’s dangerous and egregious conduct in this case. The court ultimately agreed.