RANDOLPH COUNTY, N.C. — WARNING: The details in this story contain graphic information of animal abuse.
Arrest warrant documents reveal disturbing details in a Randolph County animal abuse case.
The Randolph County Sheriff's office arrested 16-year-old Joshua Brian Davis last week on five felony counts of cruelty to animals. He's accused of recording himself abusing animals.
The abuse involved two raccoons, two opossums, and a cat. Deputies say Davis trapped, stabbed, and even continued to torture the animals before killing them.
According to the arrest warrant, Davis trapped a raccoon, stabbed it multiple times with a sharpened wooden stick, set the raccoon on fire while it was still alive, and broke the raccoon's leg and paw with a pair of bolt cutters.
The document goes on to say that Davis also trapped an opossum, stabbed the animal multiple times with a sharp wooden stick, and "cut the animal's guts out while the animal was nailed to a tree."
The warrant also says that after trapping a cat, Davis strangled the animal to death with his hands.
Deputies say a Randolph County School Resource Officer received information last week that Davis had pictures and videos of the abuse on his phone.
They say Davis consented to a search of his phone. The SRO verified the images of abuse, and Davis was arrested on Friday.
The sheriff's office says the North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission has been contacted and further charges related to the abuse of the wild animals may be forthcoming.
Davis was given a $10,000 secured bond on April 5 for three counts of felony cruelty. He was later charged with two more counts of felony cruelty and was given a $5,000 unsecured bond.
