Police say man killed woman’s dog, the ‘most important’ part of her life

Her dog Brooke was the most important thing in her life.

So when the man she had been in a relationship with allegedly killed the 10-pound Yorkshire Terrier during a domestic violence incident at Caesars Palace, she told a detective the man knew she would be devastated if any harm came to the dog, according to an arrest warrant.

Now, almost two years after the incident, Deon Burns, 33, is facing charges, according to police and court records. He was arrested April 1.

According to a request for an arrest warrant filed by a Metropolitan Police Department detective, the woman and her friend had been staying at Caesars Palace on the Las Vegas Strip on May 11, 2021.

The woman, whose identity was blacked out in the police documents, was with her friend at their hotel room when Deon Burns, who was 31 at the time, showed up. The woman would later tell investigators that she had been in a two-year relationship with Burns, though it wasn’t clear from the warrant filing if they were still dating by this point.

The report said Burns was demanding his identification and money, then pushed his way into the hotel room while arguing with the woman.

Police said he threw a bottle of liquor the woman as she ran to the bathroom and locked the door, which Burns then tried to kick in.

As the woman threatened to call police, Brooke, her dog, started barking at Burns. Burns then grabbed Brooke by the neck, “lifted her up and began to squeeze her as he took Brooke into the hallway,” the warrant stated.

The woman begged Burns to release the dog. Burns then allegedly threw Brooke at the woman from about eight to ten feet away. The dog hit the woman, then fell to the ground, and was able to slowly walk back into the hotel room.

But then the room door closed, locking both Burns and the woman out. Burns then fled.

A security guard let the woman back into the room. Brooke, the dog, had feces all around her and her breathing was shallow. She soon stopped breathing.

Police said in the warrant that Burns had already had multiple prior domestic violence arrests. Las Vegas Justice Court records showed multiple arrests since 2020, with several of those arrests involving alleged domestic batteries.

The dog’s body, which was taken by a Clark County Animal Control Officer, underwent a necropsy, or animal autopsy, at a local animal hospital.

Most of the necropsy findings were redacted from the warrant, but the injuries were described as “fitting with a smothering type injury or any other mechanical asphyxia,” or restriction of breathing.

The woman told a detective that she had had the dog since she was a puppy and described Brooke as “the most important thing in her life and a constant companion,” according to the warrant. The woman also said, according to the warrant, that “Deon would know that harming Brooke would devastate her.”

According to Justice Court records, Burns faces charges of torture, maim, kill animal to threaten/terrorize, domestic battery and assault constituting domestic violence with a deadly weapon.

Burns has remained in custody at the Clark County Detention Center, with records showing bail set at $25,000 for the animal charge and a condition that — if he were to be released — that he stay away from both the alleged victim and animals.

A preliminary hearing was set for April 17.

Contact Brett Clarkson at bclarkson@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BrettClarkson_ on Twitter.