The Carmel family that owned a famous bulldog that was stolen from their yard in 2017 has finally learned what happened to their pet.
According to a post on the Gus is Missing Facebook page, Reid Albrecht, 22, told investigators he stole the 3-year-old bulldog from the Kiger family’s front yard on Oct. 4 after visiting his father, who lives approximately 10 houses away from the Kigers.
“He drove around with Gus in his car and states he took him to a nearby pet store to buy him a leash, collar and treats to calm him down. He took Gus back to the property where he was staying and said when he woke up the next morning Gus was dead,” the post states, adding that Albrecht wrapped the dog’s body in a blue tarp and threw him away in a trash can.
Albrecht pleaded guilty to theft in October 2018. He was sentenced to two years in a work release program and ordered to provide a cleanup statement to investigators explaining what happened to Gus. The prosecutor’s office shared the news with the Kigers, but the family did not find Albrecht’s explanation to be sufficient.
“This story is sickening as is, but in our opinion, this is not the entire truth,” the Facebook post states. “Given Reid Albrecht’s history with the law, we would say there is far more to this story, and we would welcome anyone who knows how Gus died to please come forward with the truth to us, Carmel Police Department or the Hamilton County Prosecutor’s office.”
The Kigers are asking their supporters to continue fighting for justice by supporting legislation authored by State Sen. J.D. Ford that would create an animal abuse registry. They also support changes to state law that would allow animal companion theft to be considered differently than theft of property, which is punished based on its value. The theft of Gus was able to be prosecuted because he was valued at $3,000, Kiger previously said.
Read the full Facebook post at facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=285555548801996&id=122030925154460&__tn__=K-R.
Albrecht has been in the Hamilton County Jail since Dec. 19 after he was found to be non-compliant with the work release program. Current has reached out to Albrechts attorney for comment.
