Arlington Heights man accused of killing his dog to be arraigned next month

A 36-year-old Arlington Heights man was ordered to remain in detention by a judge Friday after authorities said he killed his dog, Duke, with a hammer last month.

Jeffrey Rasch will remain in custody until his arraignment next month.

Six volunteers with The Buddy Foundation, an Arlington Heights no-kill shelter for homeless animals, attended Friday’s hearing.

“We’re here to give a voice to the animals,” said volunteer Peggy Thedorf.

Buddy Foundation co-founder and president Carmella Lowth added, “It breaks our hearts to see the abuse this animal went through.”

Rasch is charged with aggravated cruelty to animals, a felony, and misdemeanor cruel treatment of an animal. If convicted of the most serious charge, he faces up to three years in prison. Probation also is an option.

Cook County Judge Andreana Turano set Rasch’s arraignment for Nov. 18 in Rolling Meadows. Rasch remains in Cook County jail, where he was remanded after Turano granted prosecutors’ detention petition on Sept. 24.

According to the Sept. 24 transcript, police arrived at Rasch’s home for a well-being check about 1:30 p.m. on Sept. 14 after witnesses reported seeing Duke wander in the vicinity of Rasch’s North Dryden Avenue home.

Prosecutors said Rasch quoted from the Bible and made statements about killing his family and injuring his dog. Police found no family members in the home, but Duke was found in the garage with multiple open head wounds, brain hemorrhages and skull fractures for which “euthanasia was the most humane course of treatment,” said Assistant Cook County State’s Attorney Daniel Rosenthal.

A relative told police Rasch abuses Adderall and alcohol and has bipolar disorder for which he refuses treatment, said Rosenthal, who recounted a previous situation in which Rasch was found at a church covered in blood.

Soon after that, Rasch’s wife left with their young daughter, Rosenthal said.

Rasch told police he “had a moment of psychosis.” He said he killed Duke “to get to his daughter,” according to Rosenthal.

Rasch also claimed he was in a “Hunger Games” situation, Rosenthal said.

Rosenthal said the General Assembly made animal cruelty a detainable offense because legislators understood “that violence directed against animals, specifically family pets, has a tendency to escalate to violence directed at other family members, specifically human family members.”

Assistant Cook County Public Defender Kristin Arthur objected to her client’s detention, arguing pets legally “are not the same as a person.”

“You cannot charge someone with murder when they kill a dog,” she said.

Arthur said her client was diagnosed with bipolar disorder three months ago, but made no threats against his family.

After his arrest, Rasch spent nine days at a Streamwood mental health facility, which would not have released him if he posed a threat, she said.

bvitello@dailyherald.com