A Davenport man has been arrested on animal abuse charges for allegedly killing two cats at a Davenport home.
The incident occurred in July 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Justice Lee Hill, 26, was arrested Friday by Davenport Police.
Hill is charged with two counts of animal abuse, an aggravated misdemeanor that carries a prison sentence of two years.
According to the arrest affidavit filed by Davenport Police Detective Sean Johnson, on July 27, 2020, Davenport Police were called to investigate a report of animal abuse.
On July 24, 2020, the person making the complaint left their home in the 300 block of East 15th Street for work, at which time their two cats were in the house. When the person returned home from work, the cats were no longer at the home. Hill was the only person at the home when the cats went missing.
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On Aug. 3, 2020, the cats were located deceased in a water cooler in the basement of the home. The cats were badly decomposed in the cooler. There also was blood in the cooler.
A criminal complaint against Hill and a warrant for his arrest were filed in Scott County District Court on Oct. 27, 2020.
Hill was being held Saturday night in the Scott County Jail on a $4,000 bond, cash or surety.
During a first appearance on the charges held Saturday in Scott County District Court, Magistrate Richard Wells scheduled a preliminary hearing in the case for Jan. 24.
Hill had been released from parole in May of 2020, about two months before the incident, according to Iowa Department of Corrections electronic records.
According to Scott County District Court electronic records, on Oct. 18, 2013, Hill pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to commit a forcible felony. A charge of first-degree robbery was dismissed in exchange for his plea.
Hill was sentenced to 10 years in the Iowa Department of Corrections on Nov. 26, 2013. He was granted parole on July 12, 2015. Hill was cited for violating the conditions of his parole and for being arrested for operating while intoxicated in April of 2016. He was taken off parole on Sept. 9, 2016, and placed on work release. His work release ended when he was sent back to prison on Sept. 5, 2018. He was again released from prison and placed on work release on July 1, 2019. He was then placed on parole on Oct. 8, 2019.
Hill was released from parole May 11, 2020.