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A Richmond man pleaded guilty Wednesday to torturing to death a pit bull, named Tommie by rescuers.

Jyahshua A. Hill, 20, of the 1300 block of St. Peter Street, was arrested about three months after Tommie was found by the Richmond Fire Department in Abner Clay Park, less than a mile from where Hill lived.

The dog, a male brindle, had been tied to a chain-link fence, doused with a flammable liquid and set ablaze, Richmond police said. Tommie died Feb. 15, five days after he was discovered in the park. He suffered burns to 40 percent of his body, according to the Richmond Animal Care and Control, which cared for the dog.

The case sparked outrage and generosity from the public. T-shirts emblazoned with the viral hashtag #teamtommie were made.

A fund created to cover Tommie's medical costs - when it became clear that those bills would be surpassed, the fund was used to provide emergency care for other animals in need - topped $25,000.

More than 6,000 people signed up to attend a public memorial service for Tommie held at the shelter.

The commonwealth's attorney's office has assigned two attorneys to the case, which is unusual for an animal cruelty case. One has expertise in arson cases and the other in animal cruelty prosecutions.