UPDATE: Police arrest man who recorded himself stabbing, choking puppy

Guadalupe Sanchez, 25, arrested on several charges

SAN ANTONIO – UPDATE:

Two days after police issued a warrant for 25-year-old Guadalupe Sanchez's arrest, the Balcones Heights Police Department took Sanchez into custody on Wednesday. 

On Monday, San Antonio police shared details of the case involving Sanchez, who is accused of recording himself choking and stabbing a puppy before threatening to do the same to his family.

Sanchez was arrested by BHPD officers on the city's Northside at the Fallas Paredes store located at 4400 Fredericksburg Road.

Police said Sanchez is being charged with cruelty to animals, terroristic threats against a family and felony drug possession.

  

ORIGINAL STORY:

The San Antonio Police Department needs the public’s help in locating a man who is accused of recording himself choking and stabbing a puppy before threatening to do the same to his family.

Authorities are looking for 25-year-old Guadalupe Sanchez who is wanted on a warrant for making a terroristic threat against his family. Shannon Sims, assistant director of Animal Care Services said they are also pushing for an animal cruelty charge.

“We received a call on Gardina Street where this man videotapped himself harming a pet and sent it to his girlfriend,” Sims said. “When we got there unfortunately the animal was already deceased, so it looks like an animal cruelty case based on the video we got a copy of.”

SAPD officers were sent to a residence on the city’s Northwest Side where they discovered the dead puppy seen in the video, SAPD spokeswoman Jennifer Rodriguez said.

According to the responding officers, the puppy appeared to have been choked and stabbed in the neck.

Sims said while some may say "it's just a dog," the offense is a felony and is something frequently attributed to serial killers.

“In every known case of serial killers in the United States before they started with humans they start with cruelty towards animals,” Sims said. “Abuse, dismemberment. If you see someone doing any of that, they need help. We just want to make sure cases like this does not escalate into something like murder.”

Rodriguez said Sanchez was allegedly upset that another man looked at a family member. 

“For some unknown and very disturbing reason, (Sanchez) decided to take it out on a puppy,” she said. “Obviously this video, in this case, is very disturbing and we’re really working hard to get this person off the street and have him face justice.” 

After killing the puppy, Sanchez made threats to family members that he would do the same to them, according to SAPD’s social media posts. 

Online court records show a history of violence by Sanchez, with his first offense coming in April 2012 when he was arrested on suspicion of assault family violence by choking and strangulation. 

Months later, in October 2012, Sanchez was arrested for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and was later sentenced to four years in jail, according to online records.

According to online records, Sanchez was released from jail on Sept. 22, 2017.

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Rodriguez said SAPD’s Special Victims Unit has obtained a terroristic threat against a family warrant for Sanchez’s arrest.

Animal Care Services, along with SAPD, are continuing to investigate the case with the anticipation of adding torture and cruelty charges for Sanchez, Rodriguez said. 

People living in the 1000 block of Gardina Street said they were shocked to hear about the dog's brutal death.

“I just moved here about two weeks ago because I thought it was peaceful,” Albert Saucedo said. “This affects me deeply because I am an animal lover. It affects me in the way that dogs are just as important as people.”

One neighbor who asked not to be identified said the neighborhood is usually quiet.

“It is really not much commotion around here,” the neighbor said. “Everybody knows everybody so for this to happen it was like ‘Whoa. What is going on?' You know?’”

Anyone with information or knows the whereabouts of Sanchez is asked to contact SAPD’s Special Victims Unit at 210-207-2313 or 210-207-7273. The case number is 18047351.

SAN ANTONIO STORY IDEAS & TIPS, EMAIL: agarcia@ksat.com 

WE NEED YOUR HELP LOCATING THIS SUSPECT. We want to warn you - the details of this case are disturbing. 25-year-old...

Posted by San Antonio Police Department on Monday, March 12, 2018

About the Authors:

Japhanie Gray joined 10 News as an anchor in March 2022.