Prosecutors drop South Austin dead-dog case
- Prosecutors dropped charges in a South Austin dead-dog dumping case, surprising neighbors and animal advocates. - Officials cited insufficient evidence and legal hurdles that made pursuing charges unlikely to succeed. - The dismissal prompted calls for clearer ordinances and investigative resources from local advocates (patch.com).
Travis County prosecutors have dropped the South Austin case against two men accused of dumping dead dogs into South Boggy Creek, ending the felony prosecution announced last year. (kvue.com) The Travis County District Attorney’s Office said on April 17 that it lacked enough evidence to proceed against Fred John Riess, 61, and Rafael Cantu-Baez Riess, 51. Prosecutors said the case had “multiple suspects,” evidence-storage problems and timing issues. (cbsaustin.com) The men had been charged with intentional or knowing unauthorized discharge, a third-degree felony tied to waterway pollution. KVUE reported they also faced multiple misdemeanor animal-cruelty charges, though the status of those charges was not clear in the April 17 reports. (kvue.com) The case began in April 2024, when residents and a real estate agent found dead dogs in South Boggy Creek behind Shiloh Drive near Menchaca Road. Early reports cited 11 dogs in the creek, and later court records and police reporting said animal-control crews removed 15 bodies from the area. (kvue.com) (mysanantonio.com) Investigators later said the two men had moved out of the Shiloh Drive home on April 13, 2024, and neighbors found the dogs the next day. Arrest affidavits said some bodies were wrapped in pee pads or trash bags and were found alongside household trash and Whataburger bags. (mysanantonio.com) Police later traced the investigation to Milam County, where officers found 33 more dead dogs in a freezer on property tied to the men, according to CBS Austin. The outlet reported the frozen dogs were of similar breed and size to the animals pulled from the creek. (cbsaustin.com) The men told police the dogs died in a bee incident and were kept frozen because cremation cost too much, CBS Austin reported. Austin police arrested them months after the creek discovery, after warrants were issued in April 2024 and arrests followed in Milam County in 2024. (cbsaustin.com) (mysanantonio.com) The dismissal leaves the South Boggy Creek case where it started for many neighbors: with dead animals found in a waterway and no felony conviction to explain how they got there. Austin police did not immediately comment to KVUE on the dismissal. (kvue.com)
