Naples Man, 21, Charged With Aggravated Animal Cruelty After Multiple Mutilated Hamsters Found Dumped In Boxes

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MUTILATING HAMSTERS
21 year old Christian Lee Hunter has been arrested and charged with aggravated animal cruelty, and unlawful disposal of a dead animal. A warrant has been issued for his arrest in Lee County where he faces aggravated animal cruelty, unlawful disposal of a dead animal, and making a false statement to a law enforcement officer.

COLLIER COUNTY, FL – Back in July of 2020, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office Animal Cruelty Task Force received information regarding a mutilated hamster, found in a pet-store box, in a retail parking lot.

In addition to the dismembered animal, the box contained the buyer’s purchase order and a pair of latex gloves. The purchase order contained the name of the buyer; the Animal Cruelty Task Force met with the buyer, 21 year old Christian Lee Hunter of Golden Gate Estates. At the time, Hunter provided information that was later proven to be false.

On January 7, 2021, an eerily similar incident was reported to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office. Once again, a box was discovered in another retail parking lot, adjacent to a local pet store, containing a mutilated hamster, an empty scissors package and bloody wipes. 

Once again, the box contained paperwork. Pet store surveillance footage verified that the purchaser was, once again, Christian Lee Hunter.

Hunter has been arrested and charged with aggravated animal cruelty, and unlawful disposal of a dead animal.

“There is only one place for anyone who violently abuses and kills innocent animals,” stated Sheriff Carmine Marceno. “Our detectives worked diligently on this case alongside our law enforcement partners at the Collier County Sheriff’s Office to put this sick individual in jail.”

Hunter is currently wanted in Lee County for the incident in July 2020 but he remains in a Naples jail cell. A warrant has been issued for his arrest. He faces aggravated animal cruelty, unlawful disposal of a dead animal, and making a false statement to a law enforcement officer.

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