FL Man Charged After 2 Dogs Found Hanging From Tree

Salomon Cruz-Perez mug shot. Photo courtesy of the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office.

In a deeply unsettling case that has left the Fort Pierce, Florida, community in shock, a local man faces serious charges following the discovery of two deceased dogs hanging from a tree in his backyard.

Disturbing Discovery Leads to Arrest

On March 16, 2025, deputies from the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office responded to a domestic incident at the home of Salomon Cruz-Perez, 42. In the backyard, deputies made a horrifying discovery: two adult dogs, one male and one female, hanging by their necks from a tree with a combination of ropes, chains, coaxial cable, and tie-down straps. Cruz-Perez was immediately taken into custody at the scene.

At a news conference, St. Lucie Sheriff Richard Del Toro called the incident "very disturbing," noting that Cruz-Perez had attempted to have the dogs euthanized weeks earlier. "He could have just given the dogs up to the Humane Society," Del Toro said, as reported by NBC6.

Investigation Uncovers Troubling Details

Detectives learned that Cruz-Perez gave multiple conflicting explanations for the dogs' deaths. He first claimed it was an accident, then alleged the animals had tried to kill him in the past. Later, he reportedly told deputies the dogs had likely ended up hanging from the tree because they had somehow tied themselves up.

Del Toro dismissed these claims, stating, "I think what he was talking about is, you know when you're walking dogs sometimes on a leash, you get tripped up by the leash, he was taking that as you know, the dogs attempted to hurt him in the past ... there's no excuse for any type of behavior like that, it's just a very tragic end for those dogs," as reported by NBC6.

Del Toro also noted that authorities did not know how long Cruz-Perez had owned the dogs or how long their bodies had been hanging before deputies arrived. "There's no way these dogs could have done that, this isn't just an accident," he said, per NBC6. "I own four dogs myself, I'm an animal lover — just very, very sad to see."

St. Lucie County Animal Control retrieved the dogs' bodies, which were sent to Orlando for a necropsy to determine the exact cause of death.

Felony Charges and Court Appearance

Cruz-Perez now faces two felony counts of aggravated animal cruelty resulting in death. A judge set his bond at $60,000. He made his initial court appearance shortly after his arrest and remains in custody. As of the latest update, he does not yet have legal representation. This investigation is ongoing.

References: Florida Man Charged After 2 Dead Dogs Found Hanging from Tree | 'A very tragic end': Man accused of hanging two dogs in backyard of Florida home