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August 31, 2009

Serial Cat Killer Arrested After Four-Month Spree

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On August 21, ASPCA Special Agents arrested Manhattan resident Sean Lynde, 36, for allegedly killing four cats and seriously injuring two others. The cats were owned by Lynde’s ex-girlfriend, Rachel Strate.

Lynde, who has a documented history of violent outbreaks, was indicted by a Manhattan Grand Jury on six counts of felony aggravated animal cruelty, seven counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty, three counts of aggravated harassment, one count of criminal mischief, two counts of criminal contempt and one count of stalking. He pleaded not guilty and is currently out on $5,000 bail.

“Incidents like these are especially chilling,” says Stacy Wolf, Vice President and Chief Legal Counsel for the ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement Department. “An individual who can commit such violent acts against multiple pets over a period of months is someone who the criminal justice system needs to take serious notice of.”

The four-month killing spree began last fall after Lynde moved into Strate’s Upper West Side apartment. Events unfolded as follows:

  • On October 5, 2008, Strate’s 15-year-old cat, Cleo, was found dead behind a dryer with her mouth full of laundry detergent. A necropsy confirmed she also suffered head trauma, including a broken jaw and bleeding eye. A short time later, her 12-year-old cat named Zoe was found badly beaten, suffered extensive head trauma and had to be euthanized.

  • In November 2008, Strate adopted two three-month-old kittens, Willie and Betty. Later that month, she came home to discover Willie was unable to walk and returned him to his previous owner. On November 24, she came home to find Betty on the floor dead. “Lynde stated that Betty fell from a countertop to the floor and stopped breathing,” says Assistant Director of ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement, Joseph Pentangelo.

  • On December 18, still not suspecting her boyfriend of any wrongdoing, Strate adopted two more kittens, Emo and Bonafide. Soon after his adoption, Emo suffered an unexplained broken paw and subsequently vanished. On January 23, Strate found Bonafide with a broken neck—he later slipped into a coma and died.

  • In January 2009, the ASPCA received an anonymous tip and began investigating the suspicious killings.

If you suspect that someone is committing an act of animal cruelty in your community, report it to the proper authorities immediately.

Do you Twitter? Use this hashtag to tweet on this article: @aspca and #CatKillerArrest

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  • Submitted by sarah at:October 5, 2011 08:28 PM

    Sean Lynde has been seen in So. Cal - Orange County - One of the folks at Forever Home Cat Rescue (PetSmart El Toro, Foothill Ranch and RSM stores). She was there cleaning and socializing and a man wanted to adopt the kitten that was there. She said he very quickly filled out the application (and left some blanks) and was in a hurry to adopt that day, told a story about how he loved cats and had saved one in his apt complex, but when the adoption counselor tried to reach him he never called back. That was about a week before this email arrived and when she saw it was Sean Lynde. Also, Sean Lynde seen with a dark haired woman attempting to adopt a pregnant rabbit last week. When they wouldn't adopt to him he asked them how to trap rabbits. They told him it was illegal and he left, but when they saw his picture they immediately recognized him. He is definitely in the LA area prowling for animals.

  • Submitted by Animal Lover at:July 13, 2010 12:00 AM

    HOW HORRIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope she broke up with this KILLER!!!!!!!

  • Submitted by michele at:June 18, 2010 12:00 AM

    how can people be so meen and cruelty, to these precious animals i think this person need to be... locked up and throw way the key... they should charge him with animal abuse and cruelty i hate it when people do this their is no exsues for this when is the abuse and the cruelty to animal's stop

  • Submitted by ashley at:May 25, 2010 12:00 AM

    people are sick, how can you harm something so sweet and loving. and he did it to kittens? what would he do to a real child if it irritated him or made him to mad?!?

  • Submitted by Where did she get them at:February 9, 2010 12:00 AM

    It would be interesting to know from which groups Rachel Strate adopted all these cats....

  • Submitted by kelly st aimee at:January 29, 2010 12:00 AM

    that is crazy i cant believe some one would even do that to a cat...

  • Submitted by cat lover at:December 23, 2009 12:00 AM

    If I ever see this person, I WILL KILL HIM!!!

  • Submitted by dru at:December 18, 2009 12:00 AM

    the sad thing is that these MURDEROUS BASTARDS will more than likely get away with this...a slap on the wrist n they walk free...just DO NOT come around MY cats n dogs...cuz i will CUT U'R EFFING THROAT!!!!!

  • Submitted by George at:December 18, 2009 12:00 AM

    yes it is to bad that they cant keep this idiot in jail where he belongs because he sure dose not belong out in public and on a 5,000 dollar bond do you really think he will show up in court the day of his trial i seriously dough it he will more then likely run to another state and hide and theres nothing the courts will do about it either because they don't think animals should be treated better and they just let the stupid jerk get away with it and like someone else said he is libel to do it to a human the next time too then what would the justis system do to him then

  • Submitted by Dutchess550 at:September 23, 2009 12:00 AM

    I agree with Jane; Rachel must be thick as a brick to not be suspicious of her cats' injuries and deaths. Perhaps she should be watched, too.

  • Submitted by grace at:September 17, 2009 12:00 AM

    i cannot belive that ppl can do these kind of things to animals i live on a farm with many cats and 3 dogs i take care of mostly all of them i am 15 and i have decided to become a humane law enforcement officer i do not no wat state i would like to work in. i wioll probably work in south dakota but move to a bigger city where there is more action or somthing to do than the city i live near now i donot think that they do much of anything where i live. when i get older any animal that i get will be one that i save from a shelter 1 of my dogs i got from minniapolis. he is a english bull dog and a sharpe he is ugly but he is so loving. my other dog i got was $50 he is a rat terrier and a welsh corgi. but i got him from a woman who had a lot of dogs in the first place. and my other dog which is the oldest i got him from a pets store and he is a cairn terrier he is so scared of loud noises he hate thunder. i want to help all of the animals i can when i get older i am going to volunteer in the humane society next summer in the town i live in. i might take an animal home with me if my parents let me lol. i hope we can stop animal cruelty or at least make it happen less often.

  • Submitted by Sam's Mom at:September 8, 2009 12:00 AM

    It has been researched and proven that anyone who can do such horrible things to any animal has the capability to do the same to another human...and should be treated as tho he or she did abuse and mangle and kill another human. These persons are undeserving of being simply fined and returned to their freedom. They need serious psychcologial treatment and confinement where they cannot hurt anybody else. I agree that it seems the cats' mom was nieve or in denial and this story is sadder because of that. I have a pitbull mix,but did not know it untill I trimmed him up and revealed his likeness to pitts I see featured on here. He is so smart...and sweet...and loyal..and I'll never get tired of his company. I will check out your web site and see what all I can learn about this breed. CYA THERE.

  • Submitted by Jane Stepp at:September 7, 2009 12:00 AM

    Regarding the story of the serial cat killer. How could Rachael Strate not suspect Lynde of anything when her 1st cat showed up dead with it's mouth stuffed full of laundry detergent? Too bad they can't charge her with stupidity!!

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