Suspect wanted in Riverside County Animal Shelter break-in identified

JURUPA VALLEY, Calif. (KABC) -- The suspect wanted in a break-in at the Riverside County Animal Shelter has been identified as Jason Johnson.

Authorities believe Johnson, 42, is responsible for cutting the locks on 22 kennels at the shelter in Jurupa Valley Sunday morning. The suspect was allegedly caught on surveillance video.

Not only did several dogs escape, four of them were found dead. A Chihuahua and a Yorkshire terrier were found dead at the facility. The causes of death for those dogs were unclear. The two other dogs, a German shepherd and a pit bull, were presumably hit by cars.

Blood was found smeared on the ground, walls and several other areas at the shelter.

"Quickly our horror and our shock turned to anger, and we wanted to find some justice for this," said Rob Miller, director of Riverside County Animal Services.

"We do not allow in Riverside County anyone to take advantage and harm the most vulnerable of the public, and those are our animals," said Riverside County Supervisor John Tavaglione.

Investigators said Johnson went to the facility to take certain dogs, specifically pit bulls, being held in quarantine, potentially facing euthanasia. They did not confirm if one of the dogs belonged to him.

"Mr. Johnson is actively wanted. That arrest warrant was walked through the court yesterday. A judge signed it. It's been entered into our system as being active, and several sheriff's department investigators as we speak are actively attempting to track him down," said Capt. Jason Horton of the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.

Authorities said they were able to quickly identify Johnson as their primary suspect after several nonprofit groups offered up reward money. The reward has been increased to $35,000 for information that leads to his arrest and conviction.

"With that announcement of that reward money on Monday, we had two key witnesses come forward to offer us information," said Horton.

Johnson faces 22 counts of vandalism, one count of burglary and four counts of animal cruelty.

Of all the dogs released from the shelter, three were still missing Wednesday, including the dogs the suspect allegedly wanted to take.

Anyone with information on Johnson's whereabouts was asked to contact the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.