Outrage, tight security surround suspect in case involving killing of dogs in Nevada motel

RENO, Nev. – Nancy Frank could no longer care for her two Chihuahuas so she was glad to find a young man she thought would give them a good home.

Days later the dogs’ remains turned up at gruesome site in a Reno motel room where detectives found a decapitated dog and four dog heads in a small refrigerator – two belonging to Frank’s pets, according to court records.

Jason Brown, 24, was arrested July 9 and charged with six felony counts of torturing or maiming and killing an animal in the troubling case that has sparked public outrage.

Authorities said they were called to the motel in a busy area across the street from a shopping mall in suburban south Reno after a maid reported the discovery in a room Brown had been renting.

Officers also found two bloody kitchen knives, the scissors of a Swiss Army knife, two dog collars with rabies tags registered to Frank along with her dogs’ dishes, blankets and tennis balls she had given Brown to help make her pets happy.

On Wednesday, a half-dozen animal protection activists with signs demonstrated outside Reno Justice Court, where Brown’s status hearing had been scheduled but was continued to Oct. 16.