COLUMBIA, S.C. — An Army staff sergeant has been arrested after police found 24 dead animals in his abandoned apartment in South Carolina.
The State reports 36-year-old Kurt Hafner was being evicted from his apartment April 10 when Richland County Sheriff's deputies found the carcasses of a bearded dragon, two alligator snapping turtles, a variety of snakes and a dog.
(Click to WATCH video on the most dangerous snakes)
An animal abuse investigator for the department, Sgt. Joe Clarke, says the apartment floors were covered in dog feces, garbage, ammunition and personal items.
Hafner is a staff sergeant at Fort Jackson and was a rappelling instructor. Authorities say he abandoned the apartment in February, leaving the animals without food or water. He was turned over to the sheriff's department Wednesday and faces 24 counts of ill treatment of animals. It's unclear if he has a lawyer.
Read more top trending stories on wsoctv.com:
- Mother of slain Charlotte woman begs judge not to accept plea deal
- FBI agents raid $1.2 million Lake Wylie lakefront home
- WATCH: Keith Monday's Friday forecast
- Man stabbed outside Epicentre in uptown Charlotte, police say
- Carolina Panthers 2017 regular season schedule released
- VIDEO: John Ahrens sings National Anthem at Charlotte Knights game
Associated Press