Family Pets Stolen for Dog Fight 'Bait,' Cops Say

March 25, 2005 -- -- A Tyler, Texas, man is under arrest, accused of being part of a dog fighting ring that allegedly stole family pets out of yards, then trained them to be killers or used them as bait.

A man called Tyler police earlier this week and told them his dog had been stolen and he had reason to believe the dog was at a home in his neighborhood. Police went to the home and discovered several pit bulls, mistreated and abused.

In a nearby vacant lot, police discovered the remains of six dogs believed to have been killed or used as bait in the fights. One of the fatally mauled dogs had its mouth taped shut, likely so it could not defend itself, Tyler Animal Control field supervisor Gary Chambers said.

The man who lives at the home, Demarcus Keshawn Johnson, 18, was arrested Wednesday, accused of being a member of a dog fighting ring that authorities say is responsible for one of the worst cases of animal cruelty the city has ever seen. Johnson was charged with misdemeanor theft and dog fighting.

Johnson was released on bond. ABC News affiliate KLTV in Tyler tried to contact him, but was unable to reach him.

Behind Johnson's home, there are empty kennels that police said allegedly once held stolen dogs and, just a few feet away, police said they uncovered a shallow grave where animal control officers discovered the remains of at least one dog.

Police expect to make more arrests, but some of the people who have come forward to help have also said they were afraid for their safety.

"Some of the witnesses involved in this case are scared," police department spokesman Don Martin told ABCNews.com. "They're saying, 'I'm not sure if my dog is worth having my house burned down or bullets going through my windows.' "

Despite the gruesome condition of the dogs, the accommodations for the animals were new, clean and probably expensive, Chambers said.