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Glendale Heights man imprisoned for killing girlfriend’s Chihuahua

When Michael Chacon’s girlfriend returned to their Glendale Heights apartment last July, the walls were covered in blood and her Chihuahua was dead.

On Wednesday, Chacon admitted he fatally beat the 5-pound pooch named Tyson, apparently because it urinated on his shirt.

Chacon, 24, pleaded guilty to aggravated animal cruelty and was sentenced to 20 months in prison by DuPage County Judge Blanche Hill Fawell. With six months already spent in the county jail, he must serve at least four months before he could be eligible for parole.

Chacon killed the dog on July 28, 2012, and then called his then-girlfriend at work and told her it was dead. The girlfriend rushed home to find the pup fatally beaten and Chacon mopping up blood, according to court records.

An examination showed Tyson died of severe trauma, including multiple skull and rib fractures, a hip injury and a fractured femur, prosecutors said.

“There was blood splatter in the home up to 5 feet on the walls,” Assistant State’s Attorney Fred Flather said.

The girlfriend’s father, Israel Acevedo of Naperville, said he gave Tyson to his daughter as a birthday gift eight or nine years ago. The night before the killing, he said, Chacon flew into a rage after the dog soiled his shirt. Acevedo said Chacon had threatened to kill both the dog and Acevedo’s daughter.

Acevedo said the former couple met at Naperville Central High School and had been seeing each other for about 18 months. He said he was satisfied to see Chacon behind bars, though his primary concern was his daughter’s safety.

“I looked at it from the standpoint that anything could have happened if she had been there,” he said. “Out of rage he did this, and out of rage he could have done this to my daughter.”

In court Wednesday, Chacon identified himself as an alcoholic or drug addict, but his attorney said Chacon wasn’t interested in applying for a specialized form of probation for people battling addiction.

His prior record included misdemeanor convictions for theft and resisting a peace officer, records show. He could have faced up to six years in prison if convicted of aggravated animal cruelty at trial.

Glendale Heights man charged with killing girlfriend’s Chihuahua

Calls disconnected for man charged in fatal dog beating

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