Indiana Coyote Rescue Center -- Police Reports

	Police Reports of the Trapper Abuse Case
Back to Main

INDIANAPOLIS POLICE DEPARTMENT
FOR PUBLIC RELEASE CASE REPORT: 06-0117183 - 0000
INCIDENT: 612 ANIMAL INVESTIGATION LOCATION: 3945 AURORA ST GEO ZONE: 440033 AREA: SD BEAT: C32 OCCURRED: 11/09/2006 09:16 TO 11/09/2006 11:20 ARRESTS: 0 INJURED: 0 DEAD: 0 VEHICLE TOWED: 0
PERSON: 1
PERSON INVOLVEMENT: OTH ALL OTHERS
PERSON NAME: COMBS,ROBERT J
RACE: SEX:
DATE OF BIRTH: AGE:
ADDRESS: 3945 AURORA ST
CITY. STATE, ZIP: INDIANAPOLIS IN 46227
NARRATIVE:
ON 11-9-06 AT 0916 HOURS, I ARRIVED ON ACTIVITY #06003528, A
COMPLAINT OF TWO COYOTES AND A DEAD FOX IN A CAGE AT 3945
AURORA.
UPON ARRIVAL, I OBSERVED THE PICKUP TRUCK PARKED IN THE
DRIVEWAY WITH SEVERAL STICKERS SUCH AS "GONE TRAPPING,"
"TRAPPERS ASSOCIATION," (INAUDIBLE), ETC. INSIDE THE BED OF
THE TRUCK. THERE WAS A WIRE CRATE WITH WHAT APPEARED TO BE BLOOD
SMEARED OVER THE BOTTOM. THERE WAS ALSO A SMALL LIVE TRAP IN
THE TRUCK, I THEN WENT INTO THE OPEN YARD WHERE I OBSERVED AN
ABOVE GROUND KENNEL DIVIDED INTO TWO SECTIONS. EACH SECTION WAS
2' TALL, 41 DEEP, AND 3' WIDE. THE DIVIDER WAS PLYWOOD AND
THERE WAS WOOD COVERING A PORTION OF THE TOP, THE OTHER THREE
SIDES, BOTTOM, AND A PORTION OF THE TOP WERE WIRE.
ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE KENNEL, THERE WERE TWO ADULT COYOTES WHICH WERE NOT ABLE TO STAND DUE TO THE SIZE OF THE ENCLOSURE. THERE WAS A WATER BUCKET IN WITH THE ANIMALS, SOME FECES AND A RAP WHICH HAD BEEN SHREDDED. THE COYOTES DID NOT MOVE THE ENTIRE TIME I WAS AT THE ADDRESS, BUT THE ONE LAYING IN THE FRONT HAD AN INJURED FRONT PAW. THE PADS OF THE ANIMALS' FEET WERE TORN.
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DIVIDER, THERE WAS WHAT APPEARED TO BE PART OF A DEAD ANIMAL WHICH HAD BEEN SKINNED. LAYING ON THE GROUND NEXT TO THE KENNEL WAS A BLACK TRASH BAG WHICH SMELLED AS IF SOMETHING WAS DEAD INSIDE. BY THE OUTLINE OF THE BODY AND THE FEEL OF THE BAG, IT WAS APPARENT THERE WAS A DEAD ANIMAL INSIDE. 8806 OPENED THE BAG AND WE OBSERVED WHAT APPEARED TO BE A DEAD COYOTE WHICH HAD BEEN SKINNED AND HAD ITS HEAD REMOVED.
THERE WAS ALSO A LIVE TRAP ON THE GROUND AND AN AX ALONG WITH DEBRIS THROUGHOUT THE YARD.

THERE WAS A DETACHED GARAGE NEXT TO THE KENNEL AND THROUGH THE WINDOW, I OBSERVED TWO ANIMAL PELTS HANGING, I WAS UNABLE TO GET A HOLD OF ANYONE, BUT THE TRUCK IN THE DRIVEWAY WENT BACK TO PERSON #1. R COMBS, II, WHEN 8806 RAN THE PLATE.
THE INSIDE OF THE HOUSE WAS VERY MESSY-WITH CLOTHES AND DEBRIS EVERYWHERE. I OBSERVED THE CHOCOLATE LAB THROUGH THE WINDOW WHICH WAS NOT WEARING ANY TAGS AND ALSO AN ORANGE AND BROWN TIGER DOMESTIC SHORT HAIR WHICH WAS NOT WEARING TAGS. BOTH ANIMALS INSIDE APPEARED HEALTHY. 8806 CONTACTED DNR WHICH STATED IT IS NOT ILLEGAL FOR PEOPLE TO KEEP COYOTES WHEN THEY'RE IN SEASON AS LONG AS IT IS DONE HUMANELY.
A NOTICE WAS LEFT, PICTURES WERE TAKEN AND 24 HOUR RECHECK WAS SET UP FOR THE DEAD ANIMALS TO BE REMOVED. ALL CARE AND TREATMENT VIOLATIONS TO BE CORRECTED WITH THE COYOTES AND VACCINATIONS AND TAGS ON THE ANIMALS INSIDE.
IF CONTACT IS MADE, WE NEED TO ISSUE 531-301, -302, 202 TIMES
TWO, 402 TIMES TWO, AND 107 TIMES 1.
OFFICER: S0859 SWEENEY,KATIE ANIM
OPERATOR: 11/14/2006 00:31 20935 ROBERTS,CAPTOLA IMPD

INDIANAPOLIS POLICE DEPARTMENT
FOR PUBLIC RELEASE CASE REPORT: 06-0117183 - 0001
INCIDENT: 612 ANIMAL INVESTIGATION LOCATION: 3945 AURORA ST GEO ZONE: 440033 AREA: BEAT: OCCURRED: 11/09/2006 09:16 TO 11/10/200622:58 ARRESTS: 0 INJURED: 0 DEAD: 0 VEHICLE TOWED: 0
PERSON: 1
PERSON INVOLVEMENT: OTH ALL OTHERS
PERSON NAME: COMBS,ROBERT J
RACE: W WHITE SEX: M MALE
DATE OF BIRTH: 07/10/1974 AGE: 32
ID NUMBER: 2410-10-7898
ADDRESS: 3945 AURORA ST
CITY, STATE, ZIP: INDIANAPOLIS IN 46227
HOME PHONE: (317)783-2357
NARRATIVE:
ON 11-09-06, AT APPROX. 1530 HOURS, PERSON #1, R COMBS, II,
CALLED ANIMAL CARE AND CONTROL REGARDING A DOOR NOTICE WHICH HAD
BEEN LEFT ON HIS DOOR. MR COMBS ASKED ME WHAT THE VIOLATIONS
WERE. I EXPLAINED TO HIM THAT IF THE COYOTES WERE GOING TO BE
KEPT ON HIS PROPERTY, THEY NEEDED TO BE KEPT IN COMPLIANCE WITH
THE CARE AND TREATMENT GUIDELINES, MEANING THAT THEY WOULD NEED
TO BE KEPT IN A WAY THAT THEY COULD MOVE FREELY, HAD ACCESS TO
SHELTER, AND HAD RECEIVED NECESSARY MEDICAL ATTENTION FOR THE
COYOTE WITH THE INJURED PAW.
MR COMBS WAS ALSO ADVISED THAT THE DEAD ANIMALS NEEDED TO BE DISPOSED OF PROPERLY.
MR COMBS ARGUED THAT THE COYOTES COULD MOVE FREELY INSIDE OF THE CAGE AND HE WAS ADVISED THE CAGE WAS NOT BIG ENOUGH. MR COMBS REPLIED THAT "I WILL JUST KILL THEM THEN." I TOLD HIM "OKAY." AND WE HUNG UP.
ON 11-10-06, AT 1005 HOURS, I RETURNED TO 3945 AURORA ON ACTIVITY #06003528. UPON ARRIVAL, I FOUND NOBODY HOME, THE COYOTES WERE NO LONGER IN THE CAGE, HOWEVER, THE CAGE WHICH HAD CONTAINED THE COYOTES NOW CONTAINED ANIMAL LEGS AND THE OTHER CAGE STILL CONTAINED DEAD ANIMAL PIECES.
THE DEAD ANIMAL IN THE BAGS HAD BEEN REMOVED. THE TWO ANIMALS INSIDE WERE STILL NOT WEARING ANY TAGS AND A RUN WAS SET UP FOR MIDDLE SHIFT TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THE OWNER AND ISSUE ALL UTTS FROM 11-9-06, AS WELL AS 531-107 TIMES TWO FOR TODAY'S DATE.
ON 11-10-06, AT 1957 HOURS, OFFICER DYEN AND I RETURNED TO 3945 AURORA ON ACTIVITY #06003528 TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THE RESIDENT, PERSON #1, R COMBS, II. UPON ARRIVAL, WE MADE CONTACT WITH

PERSON #l. R COMBS, II, WHO CAME OUTSIDE. MR COMBS WAS ADVISED THAT WE WERE THERE TO RECHECK ON THE VIOLATIONS FROM 11-9-06. I ASKED MR COMBS IF THE COYOTES WERE STILL IN THE YARD AND HE SAID, NO. I ASKED WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM AND HE TOLD OFFICER DYEN AND I "I KILLED THEM." I ASKED HIM HOW AND HE SAID "BLUNT FORCE." HE THEN ASKED IF THIS WAS A PROBLEM. I ASKED MR COMBS EXACTLY HOW HE DID THAT, AND HE SAID HE "HIT THEM IN THE HEAD WITH A SHOVEL AND THEN STOOD ON THEIR LUNGS." AT THAT POINT, I CONTACTED 8802 AND ADVISED HIM OF WHAT I HAD BEEN TOLD. I ALSO CALLED FOR A DISTRICT CAR BECAUSE I BELIEVED THIS WAS CRUELTY.
I ASKED MR COMBS TO SHOW ME THE SHOVEL HE USED. HE THEN TOOK OFFICER DYEN AND I TO HIS OPEN BACK YARD. HE WENT INTO HIS ENCLOSED GARAGE AND CAME OUT WITH A SHOVEL ABOUT ONE FOOT LONG WITH A METAL END. I ASKED MR COMBS WHERE HE DID THIS AT, AND HE POINTED TO THE GROUND BESIDE THE CAGE WHERE THE ANIMALS HAD BEEN KEPT WHICH WAS IN HIS OPEN BACK YARD IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA TWO HOUSES DOWN FROM AN OFFICE BUILDING AND TWO HOUSES DOWN AND ACROSS THE STREET FROM A PUBLIC PARK WHICH WAS IN PLAIN VIEW.
I THEN ASKED MR COMBS HOW HE DISPOSED OF THEIR BODIES, AND HE TOLD ME THAT HE PUT THEM IN THE DUMPSTER WHERE HE WORKS WHICH WE LATER FOUND OUT TO BE AT 6508 ELMWOOD AV. I THEN ASKED MR COMBS WHERE THE ANIMAL THAT WAS IN THE TRASH BAG ON 1 1-9-06 WAS AND HE SAID IT WAS ALSO IN THE DUMPSTER AT HIS WORK.
I ASKED MR COMBS WHY THE ANIMAL IN THE TRASH BAG ON THAT DAY APPEARED TO HAVE ITS HEAD REMOVED AND HE SAID THAT IT HAD NOT, BUT THAT THERE WAS A DEAD FOX IN THE BAG WITH THE COYOTE AND
THAT MAY HAVE BEEN WHAT I SAW.
I ASKED MR COMBS WHY THERE WERE ANIMAL LEGS IN THE CAGE WHERE THE COYOTES WERE AND HE SAID THAT THEY WERE LEFT THERE FROM THE FOX THAT HE SAID THE COYOTES, AND THAT THEY HAD BEEN IN THE COYOTES' CAGE BEFORE THEY WERE KILLED. HE SAID THE ANIMAL IN THE OTHER CAGE HAD BEEN A FOX.
I ASKED MR COMBS WHY HE KEPT THE LIVE COYOTES AND HE TOLD ME BECAUSE THERE'S ALIVE MARKET FROM THEM AND THEYTHEY SELL FOR ABOUT $30: DEAD THEY ONLY SELL FOR ABOUT $10 TO $15, BUT SINCE HE WAS TOLD THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO GIVE THE INJURED ANIMAL MEDICAL ATTENTION. HE DECIDED TO KILL THEM AND SKIN THEM. MR COMBS LATER OPENED THE DOOR TO THE GARAGE AND LET OFFICER DYEN AND I TO REMOVE THE TWO COYOTE SKINS WHICH HAD BEEN HANGING TO DRY.
MR COMBS WAS ISSUED CITATIONS FOR 11 -9-06, CARE AND TREATMENT TIMES TWO, FOR THE CONDITION OF THE COYOTES IN THE CAGE; IMPROPER DISPOSAL TIMES THREE FOR THE DEAD FOX PARTS IN ONE CAGE AND THE FOX AND COYOTE WHICH WERE IN THE TRASH BAG. RABIES VACCINATIONS TIMES TWO FOR THE DOG AND CAT INSIDE WHICH MR COMBS COULD NOT FIND PROOF OF VACCINATIONS FOR; RABIES TAG AND PERMANENT ID TIMES TWO FOR THE CAT AND DOG WHICH WERE NOT

WEARING TAGS. MR COMBS STATED THAT THE DOG HAD A MICROCHIP BUT COULD NOT PROVIDE PROOF; AND ALSO, 531-506 FOR WARNING SIGNS REQUIRED FOR WILD AND DANGEROUS ANIMALS BECAUSE THERE WERE NO SIGNS ON THE PROPERTY FOR THE COYOTES IN THE YARD. MR COMBS WAS ALSO CITED FOR VIOLATIONS ON 11-10-06: IMPROPER DISPOSAL AND OFFENSIVE USE OF AN ANIMAL TIMES FOUR, AT THE ADDRESS OF 6508 ELMWOOD FOR DUMPING THE FOX AND COYOTE FROM THE TRASH BAG AND ALSO THE TWO COYOTES WHICH HAD BEEN BEATEN TO DEATH IN THE DUMPSTER AT THIS ADDRESS; IMPROPER DISPOSAL TIMES TWO FOR THE FOX LEGS IN ONE KENNEL AND THE FOX PIECES IN THE OTHER KENNEL IN THE YARD AT 3945 AURORA.
PICTURES WERE TAKEN OF THE DEAD ANIMALS IN THE CAGES, THE SKINS HANGING UP IN THE GARAGE, THE SHOVEL USED TO BEAT THE COYOTES WITH, AND THE AREA WHERE MR COMBS KILLED THE ANIMALS.
THE TWO COYOTE SKINS AND SHOVEL WERE TAKEN AS EVIDENCE WITH PERMISSION FROM MR COMBS DURING OUR INVESTIGATION.
IPD OFFICER R GAMMON, G6109, ARRIVED ON SCENE, SPOKE WITH MR COMBS WHOM HE LATER ARRESTED FOR ANIMAL CRUELTY. THIS INFORMATION IS IN IPD REPORT CASE #IP06-117789, CAD #1063142193.
OFFICER: S0859 SWEENEY.KATIE ANIM
OFFICER: D4660
OPERATOR: 11/16/2006 07:25 20935 ROBERTS.CAPTOLA IMPD