West Jordan man allegedly kills roommate’s dog, claiming it was a robot

WEST JORDAN, Utah (ABC4) — A West Jordan man is in custody after he allegedly killed his roommate’s dog, claiming it was a robot that had been “mimicking him,” according to court documents.

Drake Montgomery, 23, was booked into the Salt Lake County jail on third-degree felony charges of torturing a companion animal and obstruction of justice, as well as second-degree felony arson.

Police say Montgomery was taken into custody on Monday, June 2, shortly after he allegedly attempted to start a fire in Emigration Canyon. After an investigation, officers reported Montgomery had allegedly stabbed his roommate’s dog and was in the canyon attempting to dispose of the evidence.

The dog was later found in the trunk of Montgomery’s vehicle, along with burnt rags, cleaning fluid and a shovel, according to court records.

While interviewing with detectives, Montgomery allegedly admitted to punching the dog multiple times and trying to choke the dog. When the dog began to fight back, he reportedly admitted to stabbing it several times.

According to court documents, Montgomery believed the dog had been mimicking him and was “causing him significant stress.”

“He expressed a belief that the dog was not real, but rather a robot, as the dog was neuralinked to him, and he could no longer handle the situation,” the arresting officer wrote in the affidavit.

Montgomery was booked on the aforementioned charges and has been ordered to be held without bail, pending a pretrial hearing.