JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Jacksonville man has been arrested Sunday in connection to cats missing and found dead in the Springfield neighborhood, according to a press release from the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office.
Blake Miles, 35, was arrested on charges of animal cruelty and petit theft, police said.
JSO says they received multiple calls about the missing cats and members of the local community notified the sheriff's office with possible information.
Police say tips were received via a neighborhood group that a man by the name of either "Blake" or "Will" was living in a rooming house behind a store located at E 3rd Street and N Market Street. This man reportedly matched the physical description of the suspect in the animal abuse incidents, police say.
Police responded, and a witness confirmed that Miles lived there. The witness also noted that during the time that Miles lived there, there were several incidents with Miles. The details of those incidents are redacted in the police report.
However, the witness told police that the suspect found whatever these incidents were to be "humorous."
Springfield resident Margaret Taylor spoke with First Coast News two weeks ago, after she said she found two dead cats in a canvass bag in a dumpster.
“We started noticing that were so many cats missing all of the sudden, so we started putting the word out asking people to check their cameras,” Taylor said.
Dana Minyard, who lives in Springfield, wrote online that his beloved cat of 14 years was one of the cats found in the dumpster, "mutilated."
Another neighbor told First Coast News Springfield had a "serial cat killer" on the loose.
JSO is continuing to follow-up on similar cases in the area to determine if Miles is involved.