Suspects in dog's beheading are charged with forgery

January 13, 2007|Associated Press

BARNSTABLE -- Two Mashpee women arraigned on charges of threatening the owner of a pit bull who found the animal's severed head on her car are facing additional charges.

Just hours after Rebecca Clancy and Kelly Hayden were released on bail Thursday on charges of intimidating a witness, a Falmouth District Court magistrate issued forgery and uttering charges against them.

Clancy and Hayden, who operate a kennel in Mashpee , were arrested Wednesday after a 22-year-old woman told police they threatened her after she found her dog's severed head in a tin on her car last week. They pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges of threatening, intimidating a witness, and assault related to that episode.

Clancy and Hayden, both 24, are suspects in the beheading of the woman's dog, according to court records. They have not been charged in the dog's killing.

The dog owner told police that Clancy and Hayden were supposed to be watching her dogs, Nitrous and Nala, last week when Nitrous's severed head turned up on the hood of her car. She said Clancy had threatened to kill her dogs if she didn't pay $15,000 for damage she had caused to Clancy's Jaguar when she crashed the borrowed car in November.

First Assistant District Attorney Brian Glenny said Clancy and Hayden are charged with attempting to intimidate the woman because she is a witness against them in the investigation into the dog's death.

Clancy told the Cape Cod Times shortly before her arrest that she and Hayden did not kill the dog.

Brett Sanidas, a lawyer who represented both women at their arraignment, did not immediately return a call seeking comment Thursday.