Man Who Lured Stray Cats To Torture, Kill Them In NJ Neighborhood Indicted

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ — An Atlantic City man accused of luring stray cats to torture and kill them has been indicted on animal cruelty charges, the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office said Thursday.

Edwin Sanabia, 26, was indicted on multiple counts of animal cruelty by a grand jury on Sept. 9, authorities said. The charges stem from a case where it is alleged Sanabia tortured, beat and killed stray cats in his neighborhood.

A police officer who is also a trained humane law enforcement officer investigated reports from residents of the "cruel torture and killing of cats" in Sanabia's neighborhood, authorities said.

Sanabia would use food to lure the abandoned and stray cats in his neighborhood into his home, authorities said.

Then, he would torture, beat and kill the cats, disposing of their bodies by throwing them into a nearby dumpster, authorities said.

Additionally, Sanabia punched, hit and dragged other cats by their tails in separate instances, officials said.

He also apparently beat several cats with sticks when they were hiding in a makeshift shelter on a neighbor's property, according to authorities.

The prosecutor's office thanked Atlantic City police and the residents who reported the animal cruelty offenses.

"We encourage our residents to report animal abuse and neglect to their local police departments," the prosecutor's office said.