Matthew Savinovich pleaded guilty in a Putnam County Court Tuesday, April 26, to two counts of aggravated cruelty to animals, one count of torturing animals, and one count of attempted burglary.
Investigators said Savinovich, a New Jersey resident from the borough of Norwood in Bergen County, admitted to killing two of the woman’s chihuahuas by slamming them against a wall in her Lake Peekskill home.
He also confessed to intentionally dropping a mattress and box spring on top of her ferret, killing the animal, Putnam County District Attorney Robert Tendy said.
“This is one of the worst examples of animal cruelty that I have ever seen,” Tendy said.
“The case took a lot of time and work to put together—there were no witnesses, and no one knew what had happened or why. The team did a phenomenal job, and as a result this defendant will serve state prison time for the brutality that he intentionally inflicted on these innocent and defenseless animals,” Tendy continued.
Savinovich is scheduled to be sentenced Tuesday, July 5. He faces between three and seven years in prison.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Poughkeepsie and receive free news updates.