Man accused of abusing, killing multiple family-owned cats over 2-years in Pine Manor

A Pine Manor man was arrested after deputies with the Lee County Sheriff's Office say he abused and killed multiple family-owned kittens on several occasions. According to LCSO, deputies were initially called to a home on 8th Avenue regarding reports of an injured kitten and two dead kittens. Witnesses told deputies that the suspect, David Charette Jr., 48, would abuse the kittens. One witness reportedly saw Charette put a 2-month-old kitten named Luna into a dryer and turn the dryer on. Later, the witness said, Charette tried to drown Luna in a sink and hit her in the head with a nail polish bottle. Luna was still alive when deputies arrived and was taken to an animal hospital for treatment. Back in June, witnesses say Charette killed a one-month-old cat named Weakling by kicking it in the head and placing a rag saturated in bleach on its head. In November of 2025, deputies say Charette later killed a 3-month-old kitten named Salem using extreme heat. The kitten was later found in a bathtub. One of the witnesses, Charrette's teenage daughter, told deputies that he would kill the cats in front of her when she was behaving badly. The two kittens were buried in the backyard of the property. Three adult cats were taken by Domestic Animal Services from the residents of the home. Charette faces a charge of aggravated animal cruelty. DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.