FBI arrest Riverside man accused of killing puppy, posting video on Snapchat

The FBI arrested a Riverside man on a federal charge in the murder of a Chihuahua puppy, an action which he also allegedly posted on his Snapchat account back in February.

Angel Ramos-Corrales, 19, was arrested Monday morning by the FBI and the Riverside Police Department. Ramos-Corrales was named in a federal criminal complaint filed Friday that charges him with animal crushing, a federal crime of purposely subjecting certain types of animals to serious bodily injury not related to hunting or other lawful activity.

This charges carries a sentence of up to seven years in federal prison, according to the FBI.

Ramos-Corrales had originally been arrested on the evening of February 13, 2021 for cruelty to an animal and illegal possession of metal knuckles, both felonies. He was originally issued a “Notice to Appear” citation and released from custody a few hours later due to the emergency bail schedule for non-violent offenses, according to Riverside Police.

Officers located a a 4 to 6 month-old Chihuahua dog in Ramos-Corrales’ bedroom suffering from a severe neck injury and barely alive. The puppy was rushed to an emergency pet clinic, but, veterinarians determined the dog would not survive and had to be euthanized.

Additional Details from Affidavit and Criminal Complaint - Warning the details on this case are graphic

Riverside police was first notified of animal cruelty on February 13 after Ramos-Corrales had allegedly posted a video on his Snapchat depicting the puppy with a large laceration on its neck, according to the affidavit in support of the complaint.

The complaint reveals that a person believed to be Ramos-Corrales made a series of statements in the video, including “I’m cold-hearted,” before kicking the still-alive dog, which he had named Canelo.

Riverside Police said that officers arrived at Ramos-Corrales’ residence and found him with fresh blood stains on his clothes, as well as freshly cut wounds on his hand, according to the affidavit. Officers then found the severely injured dog lying on a bed and observed blood spatters in both the bedroom and bathroom.

Officers also found a roommate who said he locked himself in his bedroom after seeing blood spatter and the dog wrapped in a rug while Ramos-Corrales was in his room yelling, the affidavit states.            

Animal control officers responded to the residence on February 13 and removed the barely alive dog, according to the affidavit, which notes a veterinarian had to euthanize the animal after determining Canelo also had fractured bones in his head and chest.

Ramos-Corrales told FBI agents in early March that he purchased Canelo as a small puppy from a Craigslist posting several months earlier, and he claimed not to recall the details of what he had done to the dog, interviews outlines in the affidavit show.

The incident is being investigated by the FBI, which received substantial assistance from the Riverside Police Department. The Riverside County District Attorney’s Office received the initial referral from the Riverside Police Department, and, after reviewing the matter and conferring with the United States Attorney’s Office, a decision was made that federal prosecutors would file the case.

Stay with News Channel 3 for any updates.