Florida Man Accused of Biting Head Off Woman's Pet Python
A 32-year-old man in southern Florida is facing multiple felony charges, accused of biting the head off of a woman's pet python during a domestic dispute, according to Miami-Dade police.
Officers on Tuesday responded to reports of a man and woman arguing at an apartment complex in Cutler Bay, Florida, according to a report from CBS Miami, which obtained an arrest report. Upon arrival, law enforcement heard the dispute, reported the outlet, and made several commands for those inside the apartment to open the door.
Police eventually kicked in the door after hearing the woman scream, reported WPLG, which also obtained a copy of the arrest report. Upon officers entering the apartment, the man inside, Kevin Justin Mayorga, attempted to shut the door in an attempt to hold the woman inside against her will, police said.
Mayorga also resisted arrest when officers attempted to put him in handcuffs, police said, swinging at the responding officers and striking one of them in the eye. CBS Miami added in its report that Mayorga was eventually placed in leg restraints and detained.
After Mayorga was in the restraints, the woman told officers that Mayorga had bitten the head off of her pet ball python, read the police report. According to CBS Miami, the snake was found by the officers with its head detached.
Inmate records show that Mayorga was booked into the Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Center at 12:52 p.m. Tuesday. Mayorga is also being held on a $15,000 bond, according to arrest records.
The Florida native faces three felony charges, including resisting an officer with violence to his person; false imprisonment; and animal cruelty with the intent to injure or kill, according to court documents.
All charges are third-degree felonies under Florida law, meaning Mayorga could face up to five years in prison, five years of probation and up to a $5,000 fine, according to the Hardy Law Firm.
A hearing date for Mayorga is still pending.
According to Petco, adult ball pythons measure 4 to 5 feet long on average, and can live up to 30 years with proper care. Unlike Burmese pythons, which are considered invasive to Florida's wildlife, ball pythons are rarely found in the wild in Florida, and there are no known reproducing population of the common household pet, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Newsweek has requested a copy of Mayorga's arrest report from the Miami-Dade Police Department.
