PHOENIX — A man who has served time in an Arizona prison for murder has recently been arrested on suspicion of shooting a dog in Phoenix.
Ruben L. Garza, 38, was arrested Sunday after he was identified as the suspect on a bicycle who allegedly shot a German Shepard with a handgun, court records show.
The dog's owner told police he had "begged" the suspect not to harm their dog before a shot was fired and struck the animal's leg.
Police officers reported searching the suspect's residence and allegedly found multiple firearms.
Garza denied involvement in the shooting and claimed to have been home all night when the dog was injured, court records show. He was booked into the Maricopa County jail and is facing an animal cruelty charge.
Records show Garza was released from the Arizona Department of Corrections in 2022 after serving time for second-degree murder and aggravated assault.
Court records show Garza was convicted in 2005 for violent crimes committed in Maricopa County one year prior. He was sentenced to about 19 years in prison.
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