An image of Jay the cat shared on Facebook.
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – The Centralia police chief admitted today that police made mistakes in their response and investigation into the death of a cat that suffered what prosecutors called cruel and terrible injuries.
The feline, named Jay, was at one point possibly dropped from a second story balcony and maybe or maybe not, stabbed at an apartment complex in north Centralia last month.
Prosecutors released without charges a 24-year-old who was arrested, calling the evidence murky, and noting the pet’s body was not collected for evidence.
“Fortunately, these types of cases do not occur frequently in our community,” Centralia Police Department Chief Carl Nielsen stated in a news release. “This case brought to light the lack of information and resources we had available for our staff to refer to during the initial investigation.”
Police detectives have been following up on new information and evidence, Nielsen said today. He expects the case will be presented once again to prosecutors late next week, he said.
Nielsen wants the community to know that the Centralia Police Department is currently updating its policies and wanted to personally thank the members of Pasado’s Safe Haven and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals for their help in both identifying resources for officers, as well as assisting in the crafting of a new policy for the department.
He says he appreciates the passion and concerns shown by the community throughout this incident.
“We have outstanding staff working here, but from time-to-time mistakes will occur,” Nielsen stated. “When those incidents do occur, we will work diligently to correct those mistakes.”
Nielsen was hired as chief of the department just one year ago.
Centralia police responded to the evening incident at the 100 block of Virginia Drive on April 28, and interviewed several individuals, including children.
They arrested the man accused of stabbing the cat, but Lewis County Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecutor Brad Meagher released him the following day without charges, saying someone was very cruel to the cat, but he didn’t have enough evidence to make a case.
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For background read “Man released from jail with no charges in connection with Centralia cat death” from Friday April 29, 2016, here
I had a run in with Lewis county a “year” later found innocent! During that time I told them they made a mistake, but they don’t care. This is another example that Lewis County Police have no care about the law. There is a law making it a felony for animal cruelty. There are witnesses and plenty of evidence but hey its only a cat why do they care! Now after this incident the kids are scarred for life watching an animal being brutally murdered, but again why does lewis county police care! Police 101 preserve the evidence. Lewis County already gave its self a bad name this now just adds to them being bigger idiots!
Bo you name call on this site daily!! And use foul language daily on your comments! Take your own adivise before commenting!!
The police prefer low IQ thugs working for the county. Mandatory drug tests for all CPD pill heads, the evidence room has been raided. We should be allowed a public of their evidence room. You cannot trust a department with no dash and body cameras ever. It’s their plastic word with their rubber judges… Then they investigate themselves. How many criminals get to investigate their own crimes? Only the police…
Cps hahahahahahahahahaaha professional kidnappers don’t care about cats because there is no revenue to be made from extorting salaries.
Why is Officer Phillip Reynolds not being investigated for killing cats. Is he even fit for duty? Why must we have the worst of people on our department?
CPS!!!! They have no jurisdiction or any reason to be involved!
Stephanie you are you capable of having intelligent conversation? You know civilized people don’t name call, they state what there position is And why
Bo you’re an idiot. Just another case of Centralia police not doing their jobs. SMDH
This story makes me sick. He looks like a sweet cat. He did not deserve to die that way. That sick bastard that killed him deserves to be punished. Whoever the cop was didn’t do their job.
@Jodi. Cps is to busy fucking with people who aren’t a danger to their children to deal with such matters. Actually based on the description of the crime alone i would say that i t was a high likleyhood that ot was actually committed by a cps worker because of how souless, cruel, hainess and unnecessary the crim was.
And Tom-you know this because you witnessed the event and did nothing? or you have inside information as to what happened via information not released to the public? or your a fortune teller? come on-let us know how you knows such things before a conviction?
Bo shut up! Clearly you know nothing about what happened. The guy was in the wrong and is guilty of a crime!
That is so messed up that the county can’t even find a hole in there ass what a great county makes me want people to move there with there serial killers in training
Now just admit the traffic revision at West Main and Yew St. Is a mistake and were onto an honest relationship.
Some people only think about whether the animal abuser should sue the city or not……wow!!!
He has a great case. They admitted error
The person arrested in this case does not have a good case with which to sue as he was witnessed stabbing the feline. He also has a previous animal cruelty charge in his history. He was released because of lack of evidence and no charges were filed at the time, which, apparently, they might now have. I’m very surprised CPS has not come forward in this matter involving a minor and a violent act against an animal.
I think the person who was arrested over this needs to sue the city. He has a very good case.
Lets not forget that pastor and city council member killed a neighbor cat and it took pressure from the community to file charges. Lets not forget about officer philip Reynolds who bashed a cats head in with a Hammer. The community needs to put pressure on the police just to get a charge filed. Thats The Laughing Stock right there. No Dash Cameras no body Cameras. No Accountability right in our faces…