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Goshen - Benjamin was only 5 years old when he was beaten
to death, his body left in the grass next to Claudius and Le Cat.
Four-month-old Feisty lay dead on the porch.
A Blooming Grove Humane Society employee said that scene
back in October 2004 was her "worst nightmare."
Days, then weeks, then months went by. It appeared that
someone might get away with the kitty killings.
But Blooming Grove police didn't quit. They kept probing,
searching for the culprits who broke into the Humane Society
on Oct.25 or Oct. 26, 2004, killed the cats and snatched nine
others, leaving behind trails of fur.
Volunteers found two of the missing cats in the woods behind
the shelter. Five others returned on their own.
The investigation ended this week, after 17 months, with the
arrests of three men.
An Orange County grand jury indicted Terry Ayres, 19, of Vails
Gate; and Michael Melfi, 18, and Michael Bornhoeft, 20, both of
Blooming Grove, in connection with the crime.
Each of the three men faces the following charges: four counts
of aggravated cruelty to animals and third-degree burglary,
felonies.
Bornhoeft was arrested at his Blooming Grove home
Wednesday and remains in Orange County Jail on $3,500 bail.
Ayres,already in county jail for a probation violation, was
arrested there Wednesday. Melfi was arrested late yesterday
afternoon in Washingtonville.
"I would like to put closure on this," said Amil Urbancik, society
vice president.
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