Moro, Illinois man indicted after shooting his own dog

By Jeff Small

KSDK -- A Metro East man is facing animal cruelty charges after he shot and killed his own dog that he claims was sick. Walter Nettleton admitted to police he shot his St. Bernard last weekend, but he said it had health problems. A grand jury said Nettleton committed a crime.

On Thursday night, deputies with the Madison County Sheriff's Office said he was in their custody but not yet been booked.

The small community of Moro, Illinois is what some call a very "dog friendly" place. One man said he was recently stunned to hear gunshots followed by a horrifying sound from a dog.

"It started as just yelps and the more there were shots, the louder they got from the dog and it got to where he was hollering in severe pain," said neighbor Troy Whitworth.

Nettleton was outside his home, shooting his dog. The dog died after being shot three times with .357 magnum and was later buried on the property. Deputies investigated the incident and a grand jury ultimately indicted Nettleton with a misdemeanor and two felonies, including aggravated cruelty to animals.

"I mean, there are laws and I don't care if you live in the sticks," Whitworth said.

Nettleton said his dog had health problems, which authorities confirmed, although no details were released.

NewsChannel 5's attempts to reach Nettleton earlier were unsuccessful. Thursday night, we were told he was at the Madison County Jail. His bail has been set at $20,000.