Man sentenced for stabbing dog to death, stealing car

A Pennsylvania man has been sentenced to prison for stabbing his dog to death and stealing a car in separate incidents earlier in the year.

Joseph W. Elliot plead guilty to misdemeanor animal cruelty in the dog's death, and felony receiving stolen property and misdemeanor false identification regarding the car.

Elliot, 29, will serve one to two years in prison followed by three years of probation as part of the plea deal with the Lancaster County District Attorney.

Back on April 28, officers responded to Elliot's apartment and found him naked in his doorway, where he told police he had consumed methamphetamine.

Inside Elliot's bathroom, police found a deceased white dog with lacerations on its body. An investigation by the Lancaster County Animal Coalition revealed the dog suffered from 8 cuts from a sharp object, and bruising on its body.

Elliot later admitted to choking the dog claiming the dog "put a hex on him."

In the case of the stolen car, police say Elliot stole a Volkswagen Jetta from a man, and later provided police with a false name. Elliot was ordered to pay $265 restitution as part of his sentence.