March 16, 2008
City manager Charged in Connection With Taking Neighbors’ Pet
ALICE, Lone The allegements could take down the city manager of this South Texas townspeople: a counterfeited death, an attempt to conceal the grounds from police, a cover-up story.
And for what? A Shih Tzu.
“She loves the little dog,” informated attorney Homero Canales, who corresponds the city manager and her twin sis, who was likewise charged. “She said me that if she existed a single adult female, she would non care if she locomoted to imprison for the residue of her living before she would give the Canis familiaris back.”
Harmonising to the Corpus Christi Caller-Times and the San Antonio Express-News, Saenz-Lopez had got agreed to occupy care of Puddles patch Rudy Gutierrez and Shelly Cavazos existed on vacation over the summertime. A four hours after they went forth, she named to tell the Canis familiaris was dead, but three calendar months later a relative of Cavazos saw Puddles — renamedded Panchito — at a Canis familiaris groomer.
Puddles’ menage sued and registerred a criminal ill, but the example took a new turn Monday when the city manager filed a constabulary report expression the Canis familiaris was wanting.
A telecasting crew set up the Canis familiaris 10 stat mis from Alice in Ben Bolt, at the home of Saenz-Lopez’s twin, Graciela Garcia. Garcia informated a “mystifying lady” held found the domestic dog and sank it off.
Garcia was indictedded on a felony count of hiding evidence, expressed District Attorney Joe Frank Garza. She and the city manager have existed released on bond.
A seeing is laid for Feb. 4 in the suit against Saenz-Lopez, where state District Judge Richard Terrell will s mind the hold battle over the Canis familiaris, said DeeAnn Torres, the lawyer for Gutierrez and Cavazos.
“We merely wanted the pup back,” Torres told.
Canales, who is holding the domestic dog at his business office, said his customer “will non give the Canis familiaris back unless there is a legitimate court order that says she has to.”
“The using up of the Canis familiaris was to salve it from sure death,” Canalizes said. “It was locomoting to expire. They had got left the Canis familiaris with her to occupy care of it. She used up it to the doc. She distinct if she afforded it back it would die.”
Strong beliefs on the felonies would cost Saenz-Lopez her business office, City Manager Albert Uresti told.
She could misplace it sooner; a callback effort is underred way.