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Kern County Man Suspected of Killing Stray Cats and Eating Them
A Kern County man is facing charges after being accused of killing stray cats in his neighborhood and eating them.
This week residents in Oildale (an area just outside Bakersfield) heard suspicious noises coming from the home of Jason Wilmert, 35, according to KBAK a local CBS affiliate. Now Wilmert is facing charges for animal cruelty and for eating animals that are commonly kept as pets or companions.
Neighbor Joe Nuno told KBAK that he heard cats screaming so loudly one day that he came outside to check to see what was going on. He said the noise was coming from Wilmert's home. He and other neighbors also noticed Wilmert would light fires in his backyard.
"He's cooking. He's got a little burner going," Nuno told KBAK. It smelled horrible, like "awful meat."
Wilmert's next-door-neighbor allegedly saw him skinning cats and ended up being the one reporting him. Kern County Sheriff's deputies went door-to-door asking if any neighbors noticed that their pets were missing. None were reported. Investigators believe Wilmert targeted strays.
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