Douglas County Investigators Arrest 22-Year-Old in Animal Torture Case
- Omaha Scanner
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
In late February 2026, the Nebraska Humane Society received a complaint from a concerned resident regarding the welfare of several dogs near 21st and Vinton Street in Omaha, Nebraska.
The complaint included multiple videos showing a male physically abusing dogs in a yard. In the footage, the male could be seen kicking, punching, and choking several dogs. The videos also showed the male throwing dogs across the yard, swinging them in circles by their leashes while they were attached to neck collars, and slamming them into the ground. Investigators determined that at least three different dogs appeared in the videos.
One of the dogs shown was Apollo, a 10-year-old gray Chihuahua. Apollo had previously been brought to the Nebraska Humane Society deceased in late January 2026.
After reviewing the videos, the Nebraska Humane Society contacted investigators from the Douglas County Sheriff's Office to assist with identifying the person in the footage and investigating the situation.
Investigators later identified the individual in the videos as Freddy Garcia Jr., age 22.
On Thursday, March 5, 2026, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office Special Operations Group and Criminal Investigations Division, working with Nebraska Humane Society Animal Control investigators, served a search warrant at Garcia’s residence.
During the search, authorities seized multiple animals from the property. These included three dogs, three guinea pigs, one bearded dragon, and several fish. Two cats from the residence were later turned over to the Nebraska Humane Society.
On Friday, March 13, 2026, Douglas County Sheriff's Office investigators arrested Freddy Garcia Jr. He was charged with three counts of intentional torture, mutilation, or beating of an animal, a Class IIIA felony.
Douglas County Sheriff Aaron Hanson stated that the sheriff’s office takes allegations of animal cruelty seriously and works closely with the Nebraska Humane Society to investigate such cases. He also encouraged the public to report suspected animal cruelty and support the Nebraska Humane Society’s mission.
WARNING: The video below was released by the Douglas County Sheriff's Office and shows animal abuse. The video is upsetting and viewer discretion is advised.