Kennewick man charged with killing cat, dumping body in trash

A 72-year-old man is charged with killing a cat with a pellet gun and putting the carcass in his trash can.

Dale E. Adkins pleaded innocent in Benton County Superior Court to first-degree animal cruelty.

The charge is for intentionally killing “an animal while manifesting an extreme indifference to life.”

His trial is scheduled Sept. 11.

Witnesses reported seeing Adkins on April 14 disposing of a suspected dead cat in his garbage.

The witnesses told the Benton County Sheriff’s Office they’d heard the sounds of a pellet gun being fired near Adkins’ trailer, court documents said.

They also reported that a black cat that had been playing in the Kennewick trailer park was now missing, documents said.

When deputies got a search warrant for Adkins’ garbage can, they reportedly found a dead black cat inside a bag in the can.

Adkins is out of custody on his personal recognizance.

This story was originally published July 8, 2017 at 11:39 AM with the headline "Kennewick man charged with killing cat, dumping body in trash."