A 26-year-old Benton man has been charged in the January killing of his dog, which authorities say appeared to have been "bludgeoned to death."
Paul Daugherty was arrested Tuesday on a charge of aggravated animal cruelty.
Lt. Kevin Russell said authorities received information from a "third-party individual" about the death of the dog, described as a pit bull, and in late May found its body in Lyle Park.
"During the course of their investigation, evidence and information indicated that Daugherty had killed a dog belonging to him in January of this year," Russell said in a statement. "According to an opinion from a veterinarian, it appeared the dog suffered blunt force trauma consistent with being bludgeoned to death."
Russell said it wasn't clear what precipitated the dog's killing or if any sort of weapon was used.
Daugherty was taken to the Saline County jail after his arrest. He was not listed as an inmate there Thursday morning.