Woman arraigned in alpaca beating death case

$15,000 bond continued for 22-year-old woman accused of having a role in the animal’s death.

MIDDLETOWN — A 22-year-old Madison Twp. woman appeared in Middletown Municipal Court on Wednesday, March 3, for an arraignment, accused of playing a role in the theft and killing of a baby alpaca.

Stacie Mullins, of the 6300 block of Kalbfleisch Road, appeared in court alongside her attorney Pat Binns. Judge Mark Wall set a preliminary hearing for 2:30 p.m. March 10. Wall told Mullins to stay in contact with Binns and ordered her $15,000 bond be continued.

Binns said he had no statement to make regarding the allegations leveled against Mullins, saying her claims of being in the wrong place at the wrong time will be developed as the case progresses.

“At some point we’ll address those issues,” Binns said. “The preliminary hearing is set for next Wednesday, so that may be a better time for that information to come forward.”

Mullins is accused of helping two 17-year-old boys steal Masterpiece, a 3-month-old male alpaca, from a Browns Run Road farm in Madison Twp. The teens allegedly beat Masterpiece to death, then dumped his body in a Montgomery County barn.

Mullins faces charges of complicity to animal cruelty, complicity to breaking and entering and complicity to tampering with evidence.

The teenage boys are scheduled to appear in Butler County Juvenile Court on March 11 on charges of animal cruelty, a second-degree misdemeanor, breaking and entering and tampering with evidence, both felonies.

Both are reportedly dropouts from Madison High School, according to authorities, and county Prosecutor Robin Piper said he intends to see them tried in adult court.

Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2871

or rgauthier@coxohio.com.

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