A 46-year-old man has been charged with killing his female roommate’s pet rabbit and threatening to do the same to her, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced recently.
Deputy District Attorney Lou Holtz said Dimitri Diatchenko (DOB 4/11/68) of North Hollywood is facing one felony count each of cruelty to an animal with a use of knife allegation and criminal threats.
Case LA079901 was filed. Arraignment is scheduled at 8:30 am on Dec. 30 in Department 100 of the Los Angeles County Superior Court, Van Nuys Branch.
Diatchenko killed the rabbit and made the threat on Dec. 7, after the victim said they should no longer be roommates, the prosecutor said. They had been living together for some time after their romantic relationship had ended.
While the victim was out of the house, Diatchenko skinned the pet, cooked it and ate half of it while sending her step-by-step pictures of what he did, the prosecutor added. When she returned the defendant allegedly told her he would do the same to her.
Diatchenko faces a possible maximum sentence of four years and eight months incarceration if convicted as charged. At arraignment, the prosecutor will be asking bail be set at $90,000.
The case remains under investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department, North Hollywood Division.
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