El Paso, Texas (November 17, 2025) — In Defense of Animals is appalled by the sentencing of Krystopher Nathan Torres, who was charged with animal cruelty for killing a cat and eating their internal organs. 

On July 17, 2024, the manager of The Junction Brunch House in El Paso called 911 after a customer informed him that a man was stabbing and eating a cat in the parking lot. After the man left, employees placed the cat's remains in a plastic bag and put it in a dumpster.

When an officer from El Paso Animal Services Protection and police officers arrived, they found the cat's intestines in the parking lot, and after retrieving the body they found that the cat's head had been crushed and their body had been ripped open.

Officers later found Torres after he was involved in a car accident the following day. He was arrested after being released from a hospital and taken to the El Paso County Detention Facility for animal cruelty with a bond of $100,000.

In Defense of Animals sent a letter with 14,765 signatures to District Attorney Bill D. Hicks urging maximum penalties, mandated psychiatric counseling and a lifetime ban from being around animals.

On November 17, he was sentenced by Judge William Moody to five years of probation and 200 hours of community service under the supervision of the El Paso County Community Supervision and Corrections Department, in addition to $300 in court costs.  

“It’s disappointing that the disturbing nature of this case has not been taken seriously by the court, and the abuser in this case isn’t going to serve time or be mandated to obviously needed mental health counseling,” said Doll Stanley, In Defense of Animals’ Justice for Animals Senior Campaigner. “Those who can harm animals so maliciously must be held accountable, and vulnerable community members must be protected from further harm they may cause.” 

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Contact: Doll Stanley, doll@idausa.org, (662) 809-4483

In Defense of Animals is an international animal protection organization with over 250,000 supporters and a history of protecting animals, people, and the environment through education and campaigns, as well as hands-on rescue in California, India, South Korea, and rural Mississippi, since 1983. www.idausa.org/justice4animals

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