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Police: Man Who Killed Dog Claimed He Was Jesus Christ

OCEAN CITY, Md. (AP) — A Maryland man has been sentenced to more than five months in jail for killing his dog. Police said the man had claimed he was Jesus Christ and had sent the canine to heaven.

The Daily Times reported Tuesday that Joseph Cryer pleaded guilty in late December to aggravated animal cruelty. The Ocean City man had already served 104 days in jail before he received his sentence.

Cryer was a former Ocean City mayoral candidate. He was arrested in September.

Police said they came to his house after a woman heard screaming from Cryer's home. Police said an officer noticed a significant amount of blood outside Cryer's house and that Cryer told the officer that he was Jesus Christ

According to police, Cryer said he hit the dog on the head with a hammer until it died and went to heaven. He said the dog was happy being with his brother who was also in heaven.

Police said an animal control officer who recovered the dog noticed a hole in the dog's head and a significant cut across the dog's neck.

(© Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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