STAR-BULLETIN / DECEMBER 2007
Two men are accused of stealing this dog, Caddy, and slaughtering him to eat. Honolulu police seized the car of one of the defendants in the case Dec. 16 and the city prosecutor is seeking forfeiture of the vehicle.
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Forfeiture is sought in dog-slaughter case
The prosecution says the vehicle was used to transport the stolen pet to an Aiea home
One of the men accused of taking someone's pet dog from Moanalua Golf Club and slaughtering it to eat could forfeit his car to the state because it was used to transport the animal from where it was allegedly stolen.
Honolulu police seized Saturnino Palting's brown 1994 Saturn four-door sedan Dec. 16 when they arrested him and co-defendant Nelson Domingo.
Palting, 58, and Domingo, 43, both of Kalihi, are charged with second-degree theft and first-degree animal cruelty. Their trial date is March 31.
The two men were golf course maintenance workers who were fired when their boss found out what had allegedly happened.
According to state forfeiture law, Palting stands to lose the car "because the car was used in the commission of a felony which was theft," said Charlotte Duarte, deputy city prosecutor.
The car's estimated value is $2,000, according to forfeiture documents Duarte filed with the Attorney General's Office.
Duarte said she sent Palting the state's petition of its intent to seek forfeiture of his vehicle Monday at Oahu Community Correctional Center, where he remains in custody pending trial. He has 30 days after receiving the petition to respond.
Domingo is free on $20,000 bail.
According to the forfeiture petition, the men apparently did not have had the opportunity to eat the dog. The two men took the dog to the home of a co-worker in Aiea. As the two men were butchering the dog, the co-worker got a phone call from the golf course and told Palting and Domingo that police were looking for them because of the missing dog, the petition said. The co-worker said the two men got scared and threw the carcass into Kalauao Stream, the petition said.