The Tucson Police Department has 39-year-old Dean Sherfield Finley in custody after she set fire to the family dog and her home. Finley has been booked into the Pima County Jail on the following felony charges - arson of an occupied structure, criminal damage and animal cruelty.
According to TPD the dog, named Lovely was transferred to Pima Animal Care Center, where she received treatment.
In an update on Sunday May 20, PACC announced that Lovely went into cardiac arrest and did not survive despite the vet's best efforts to save her.
PACC said they appreciated all of the donations and support from the community as they treated Lovely.
The incident began on Monday, May 7 around 12:49 p.m. when officers from Operations Division East and the Tucson Fire Department responded to calls of smoke and flames coming from a home in the 6900 block of East Vernice Street.
TFD crews arrived first to see flames and smoke coming from the rear of the home. Firefighters were able to keep the fire to the exterior of the home. It took 10 units and 21 firefighters, 13 minutes to control the fire.
Investigators from TFD and detectives from TPD learned that Finley had purchased 2 gallons of gas earlier in the morning and returned to the home. According to TPD a family member noticed the dog appeared wet, and as that person picked up the dog, Finley set fire to it.
The family member was able to put the dog out, Finley then reportedly set fire to the southeast corner of the home, causing damage to the storage/laundry room.
POOR PUP! I went to @PimaAnimalCare to see Lovely, the 7 year old dog intentionally set on fire. Her owner has been arrested by @Tucson_Police as the suspect, facing arson and animal cruelty charges - on @TucsonNewsNow >> https://t.co/X3hUpxElJ6 pic.twitter.com/BRbuOKzDl8
— Evan Schreiber (@SchreiberEvan) May 17, 2018
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