Santa Barbara man tortured and cooked his dog ‘Coco’ in front of family: cops

A Santa Barbara County man allegedly killed and cooked the family dog in a disturbing case of animal cruelty, cops reportedly said.

Deputies from the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office arrested 37-year-old Justo Alejandro Buenrostro on April 18 for killing “Coco.”

Buenrostro allegedly cut and then cooked the dog at his residence in Santa Maria. It’s unclear whether he ate the dog, but deputies were called to the residence and responded at 3:31 p.m.

“During a search of the property, deputies located evidence indicating that a family dog had been killed,” Officer Raquel Zick told Noozhawk.

“Animal Control officers responded to the scene, conducted an investigation and took possession of the remains.”

The Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office filed a criminal complaint charging Buenrostro with one count of cruelty to an animal and alleging he did “maliciously and intentionally maim, mutilate, torture and wound a living animal, to wit: Coco the dog.”

The DA’s office included a sentencing enhancement for use of a deadly weapon, a knife. His arrest also led to an emergency protective order to keep Buenrostro 150 yards away from adults and children at his home.

The order says Buenrostro continued to cook the dog even as law enforcement arrived.

“The restrained person butchered and cooked the family dog and actively continued to do so when family found out and LE (law enforcement) arrived,” the order said, adding those named feared for their lives and safety.

Buenrostro has pleaded not guilty, according to Noozhawk, and is scheduled to return to court on May 21, when his attorneys and the judge could set a date for a preliminary hearing. 

Buenrostro is in custody at SBCSO’s Northern Branch Jail as of Wednesday and is being held on $100,000 bail. His inmate listing says he has no occupation and is a 5 foot 8 inch, 170-pound Hispanic male.

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