A man from Texas has received a 40-year prison sentence for torturing and killing cats at an animal shelter. Gabriel Skyler Caswell, aged 23, pleaded guilty to 12 additional cases of animal cruelty and was given an extra 10 years in prison on March 18, according to Parker County District Attorney Jeff Swain.
Caswell is set to serve this new sentence at the same time as a 30-year sentence he was already given last year for similar crimes. This means he will be in prison for a total of 40 years.
The investigation began in early 2023 when the Weatherford Police Department looked into the mysterious deaths of several kittens at the Weatherford Parker County Animal Shelter. Initially, the shelter thought that the deaths were caused by a disease, but tests ruled that out.
The turning point came in July 2023 when a staff member witnessed Caswell mistreating a kitten. Police later obtained video evidence that confirmed the abuse, which led to his arrest.
District Attorney Swain commented on the shocking nature of the footage, saying it showed Caswell throwing kittens against walls, stomping on them, and even disposing of their bodies in trash bins. The court was so disturbed by the evidence that some clips were not shown during the trial because they were too upsetting.
During questioning, Caswell reportedly told police that he took out his frustrations on the kittens due to personal stress and other issues. Swain remarked on the brutal nature of the cruelty captured on video, saying he had never witnessed such a thing in his nearly 30 years as a prosecutor.
Caswell will not be eligible for parole until he has served his full sentence.
