Mitchell man accused of duct taping a dog's mouth and paws and beating it to death

by: Don Jorgensen

Posted: Aug 23, 2023 / 06:10 PM CDT

Updated: Aug 24, 2023 / 11:14 AM CDT

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — A 25-year-old Mitchell man is facing serious charges for allegedly duct-taping a dog’s mouth shut and beating it so badly, the dog later died.

We have the details and we want to warn you they are disturbing.

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Aaron Hacecky, 25, is facing three charges including cruelty to an animal, which is a class six felony that carries a maximum sentence of two years in prison.

On July 30, a Mitchell police officer was dispatched to a home on West 12th Street where he saw a man punching a black lab in the head several times with a closed fist.

Court documents say that man was Hacecky. The officer immediately handcuffed him and removed him from the scene.

But what the officer observed next is hard to listen to.

According to court papers, the officer went to the dog, named Buddy, and saw there was duct tape tying its two back legs together, its two front legs together and its mouth tightly shut. The officer wrote, “The dog was struggling to breathe and its chest was making very rapid, large rise and falls of attempting to breathe.”

The officer cut the duct tape from its mouth and noticed Buddy was bleeding from the nose. Buddy was taken to a local veterinarian where he died.

Hacecky told investigators that Buddy was his girlfriend’s dog and that he had run away earlier in the day and when he returned he had an accident in the house. Hacecky claims Buddy bit him and that’s why he took the dog outside, tied him up and began beating him.

According to court papers, Hacecky also kicked the dog in the ribs and the head but didn’t know how many times. At one point, he stopped beating the dog so he could go inside and wash his hands of blood from the dog biting him.

Hacecky allegedly returned and began beating Buddy again.

Hacecky is out of jail on bond. Officers also reported finding marijuana and drug-related paraphernalia inside the house.

Hacecky’s next court appearance isn’t until November 21.