Image 1 of 5 ▼

Investigators in Floyd County have made a death investigation one of their top priorities.

The victim in this case is not a person, instead police want to find out who killed and mutilated a small dog.

"It's a deplorable act. The person who is doing something like this is so – this is a willful act. It takes an evil person." Floyd County Police Sergeant Chris Fincher said.

Fincher is talking about the gruesome remains found in a trash can at a Lindale car wash just a few days ago.

Officers were called to the Dragon Car Wash on Park Avenue. When they got there, they found what was left of a 6 to 7-pound chihuahua wrapped in bed sheets along with some gloves in a trash can.


Police say it was obvious that someone had tortured and mutilated the dog before leaving it in the garbage.

"The legs were removed and the body appeared to be cut in half," Fincher said.

He said not only was the dog missing part of its head and other body parts, but whoever hurt this dog didn't just stop there.

"It was also burned," he said.

Finding the person or people responsible for such an inhumane act now has the Floyd County officers making the case one of their top priorities.

"Police officers, we're trained for certain things, but this sort of thing we're really not trained for," he said. "Hopefully we can get some closure ourselves by putting this person in jail."

Anyone with any information in the case is urged to call police.

Once caught, the suspect is looking at felony cruelty to animals charges.

Police are now reviewing surveillance video from the car wash.