San Angelo Man Indicted for Beating, Drowning Dog

SAN ANGELO, TX— A San Angelo man has been indicted for beating and then drowning a dog.

Brendan Griffin, 33, of San Angelo, was indicted by a Tom Green County grand jury for cruelty to non-livestock animals.

According to court documents, on Feb. 8, 2024, San Angelo police were dispatched concerning the death of an animal. The complainant stated she was informed by Griffin about the death of a Shih Tzu dog. Upon learning this, the complainant and police went to a residence in the 1800 block of South Harrison Street.

It was learned that the complainant’s daughter had gotten into an argument prior to the dog's death with Griffin. The daughter reported that, following the argument, she observed Griffin take the dog to the kitchen sink and later the bathtub.

On Feb. 9, 2024, a San Angelo police officer contacted Griffin, who provided a statement over the phone about his actions during the incident.

Griffin was then contacted face to face and mirandized before providing a further statement.

He stated that on the night of the incident, he had gotten into an argument with the complainant’s daughter regarding his contact with another woman. This argument resulted in an outburst of anger from Griffin, which resulted in him striking the dog with an open hand. Griffin allegedly struck the dog five times before taking the dog for a bath and holding it underwater before placing it on the floor where it died.

Griffin also stated concern that if his anger issue was not addressed, he could potentially conduct harm against a person.

A vet examined the deceased dog and said the wounds on the animal were indicative of blunt force trauma. There were also ligature marks, which are pressure marks on the neck that occur from strangulation.

Griffin was arrested on Feb. 11, 2024, and was released the next day on $15,000 bond. He currently has a jury trial set for July 7, 2025.