Grand jury gets case of Middletown man accused of killing cats, stashing them in freezer

The case of a Middletown man accused of killing cats and storing their bodies in his freezer will now considered by a Butler County grand jury.

Edmund Cunningham, 24, of Roosevelt Boulevard, was charged with eight counts of animal cruelty last week after Middletown police found multiple dead cats in his freezer, according to Middletown Police Maj. Scott Reeve. The charges are fifth-degree felonies.

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Today, Cunningham waived his right to a preliminary hearing in Middletown Municipal Court, and Judge James Sherron automatically sent the case to grand jury.

A Middletown humane officer visited Cunningham’s home Aug. 30 for a complaint that he had been harming cats and kittens. During a conversation with the officer, Cunningham gave consent to search his residence, and police found nine cats in Cunningham’s freezer.

FIRST REPORT: Local man accused of killing cats and putting them in freezer

Cunningham admitted he killed eight of the cats and was arrested and booked into the Middletown City Jail, according to police.

“He killed them in different ways,” Reeve previously told the Journal-News. “He took in a stray. He was cleaning it up and it attacked him, so he said he punched and stabbed it in self defense.”

Another cat did not wake Cunningham up “gently” so he threw it against the wall, Reeve said.

Cunningham remains in the city jail in lieu of $35,000 bond.