By New York Post (U.S.) | Created at 2024-11-22 01:37:15 | Updated at 2024-11-22 07:53:59
6 hours ago
A Brooklyn migrant was busted — and released — for allegedly throwing a 2-year-old pooch to its death from a 14th-floor balcony earlier this month, leaving the dog’s owner traumatized over the ruthless murder.
Luis Gabriel Santamaria, 27, said he came home on Nov. 1 to find his beloved pit bull, Kith, lying dead on the sidewalk after a new friend stormed into his apartment around 5 a.m. following a spat and hurled the beloved pup off the balcony of an apartment building on 220 Montgomery St. in Crown Heights.
“I had him since he was a baby, since he was 1-month old. He was literally my best friend,” the grief-stricken pet owner told The Post.
“I never would have thought he would do what he did, murder my dog for no reason.”
Alberto Morris, 33, was arrested on Monday and charged with aggravated cruelty to animals, grand larceny, criminal possession of stolen property, criminal mischief and torturing an animal, according to the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office.
He has no prior arrests and was released following an arraignment earlier this week, as his charges are non-bail eligible under state law, meaning he can’t be held behind bars unless convicted.
“I have PTSD from this thing,” Santamaria said.
“I still walk around these streets turning my head, because I don’t know what this man can do. I don’t know him long enough to know that could happen.”
Santamaria met Morris a few weeks before the killing, with the pair becoming quick pals and bonding over their shared Panamanian heritage.
Morris, who lived nearby, had immigrated to the US about a year ago, Santamaria said, adding that the violent brute quickly became obsessive, sending odd texts, showing up at his home and ringing the doorbell for hours.
On the night of the horrific incident, the two had gone to a Halloween party in Williamsburg — where Morris got drunk and aggressive, Santamaria said.
“That scared me,” he added, explaining how he warned his friends that Morris was trying to fight him.
“At one point, when he was getting too aggressive, he grabbed my bag — I had a little side bag — and ripped it off my body. We were shoving each other, I didn’t know what was going on, and without me noticing, he grabbed my keys from my bag.”
Security told Morris to get lost, which he did, Santamaria said.
Soon after, he realized Morris had his apartment keys. He ordered an Uber home while frantically calling friends to rush to his home to ensure Morris didn’t break in.
But it was too late. Morris got there first — allegedly tossing the puppy off the balcony and then attempting to rip a Ring camera off the wall as he fled the scene.
A distressed Santamaria eventually made it home to find Kith dead on the pavement and his friend — who gifted him the pooch — crying outside his building.
“This still has my family in shock,” he said.
“I’m really curious as to why he’s a free man after he did what he did. I don’t think any kind of murderer should be left anywhere outside of jail.”
Morris remains under supervised release until his next court date, prosecutors said.
Aggravated cruelty to animals, a felony, carries a two-year maximum jail sentence in the state of New York.
