Man Who Tied Up, Shot Housemate’s Husky Found Guilty

Luna was rescued after her original owner tied her to a tree only to die at the hands of her new owner's housemate, who tied her to a tree and shot her.

A jury found a Town of Shawangunk man guilty of aggravated cruelty to animals for shooting the 6-year-old Husky to death, Ulster County District Attorney Holley Carnright announced in a press release Friday.

Eric Napoli, 44, tied Luna to a tree in his backyard on April 16, 2015 and shot her to death with leaded birdshot.

Napoli's housemate rescued Luna after the dog was discovered abandoned. The housemate, a teacher in Pine Bush, said she was boarding a bus when she received a text message from Napoli on April 16 threatening to kill Luna if she wasn't taken to the pound. The housemate sped home and found Luna tied to a tree but otherwise unharmed. When she went back into the house, she heard two gunshots and Luna's yelp.

Napoli said he believed Luna had killed his cat, though he admitted on cross-examination that he didn't witness the cat die and there was also a pit bull in the home. Napoli testified that when he offered his housemate the option of taking Luna to the pound or having him shoot the dog, the housemate acquiesced to him killing the animal. The housemate denied this.

Napoli has a lengthy criminal history of alcohol-related offenses and a pending charge of felony driving while intoxicated, the Ulster County District Attorney's Office said in Friday's press release.

Napoli will appear before Judge Donald Williams on April 22 for sentencing. He faces up to two years in jail on the aggravated cruelty to animals conviction.