The Memphis Police Department is actively searching for Gavin Palpallatoc, 31, of Millington, who stands accused of dragging a dog from the home of a vulnerable 78-year-old woman and brutally killing the animal by shooting it multiple times. The disturbing incident took place last week at a mobile home park off Highway 51 in the Frayser neighborhood, shaking the community and raising urgent calls for justice.
Palpallatoc faces serious charges, including aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary, aggravated cruelty to animals, and aggravated abuse of a vulnerable adult. Authorities have issued an arrest warrant and are urging anyone with information regarding his whereabouts to contact Memphis Police at 901-545-COPS or CrimeStoppers at 901-528-CASH.
Alongside Palpallatoc, Jane Reynolds, 52, a resident of the same mobile home park, has also been charged with aggravated cruelty to animals. Investigators say Reynolds allegedly asked Palpallatoc to kill her neighbor’s dog after the two animals had a minor fight.
According to the dog’s owner, who wished to remain anonymous, the ordeal began after a small dog fight occurred in her backyard earlier that day. Shortly after, Reynolds contacted her and ominously declared, “I’m gonna call my friend to come put that dog down.” What followed was a traumatic invasion of her home.
“We were sitting on the couch just watching TV, and this guy comes in and pulls him from my couch to the floor, to the porch,” the owner recounted. She said she heard at least a dozen gunshots ring out before Palpallatoc fled the scene. The victim’s dog, named Cash, was a beloved Pit Bull mix and loyal companion, tragically killed in what many are calling an act of unthinkable cruelty.
The dog’s owner, battling terminal cancer, described Cash as a source of comfort and companionship during some of the most difficult years of her life. She adopted Cash five years ago after losing a previous dog, welcoming him as a stray who wandered into the mobile home park and quickly became “my life.” The sudden loss has left her struggling to cope with grief and uncertainty about the future.
“We got a good dog,” she said. “He was my life. Of course, I was trying to rehome him and anything I could do and keep him with me as long as I could… I had really been suffering over that and the fact of what if I go before he goes, what’s going to happen?”
The incident has also deeply affected the surrounding community, with neighbors rallying around the grieving woman and expressing outrage over the senseless violence. “People love her to death,” said one neighbor, highlighting the close-knit support system coming together in this time of sorrow.
Jane Reynolds was arrested and later released on a $35,000 bond, but Palpallatoc remains at large. Law enforcement officials are prioritizing his capture and warn the public that he should be considered dangerous.
The Memphis Police Department is appealing to anyone with knowledge of Palpallatoc’s location to step forward and help bring this case to a swift resolution, ensuring accountability for the horrific crime committed against Cash and providing some measure of justice for the victim and her community.
This heartbreaking case serves as a stark reminder of the need for vigilance in protecting vulnerable individuals and animals alike, and it underscores the importance of community cooperation in the fight against cruelty and violence.
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