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May 2, 2006

S. Kingstown man accused of killing own pitbull

SOUTH KINGSTOWN -- A local man is facing multiple criminal charges for allegedly shooting his own dog in a residential neighborhood and burying it in a shallow backyard grave.

Edgar Goulet, 58, of 20 Nautilus Drive East, appeared in 4th District Court in Wakefield this morning to answer charges of domestic malicious injury to or killing an animal, firing in a contact area, and possession of a sawed-off shotgun.

He was released on $40,000 personal recognizance bail, and ordered to surrender any firearms in his possession.

Police say that Goulet's 3-year-old pitbull got loose yesterday morning and ran into a neighbor's yard. Neighbors told police that Goulet screamed at his pet, named Sparky, and said he would shoot the dog if he caught it.

Before retrieving Sparky, the police say that Goulet dug a shallow grave in his backyard with a backhoe -- a machine he uses for work. Then he brought the dog back into his yard and shot it with a .22-caliber gun, according to police.

In an interview outside the courthouse this morning, Goulet said he shot Sparky in self defense. "I had no choice," he said.

-- With reports from Journal staff writer Katie Mulvaney

Posted by Steve Peoples  at 12:36 PM | Permalink

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