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3 More Indicted For Torturing, Killing Justice The Puppy

Justice
A puppy named Justice is fighting for his life after being set on fire in Dallas. (credit: Jim Wenger/DFW Rescue Me)

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) – A Dallas County Grand Jury has indicted three more men on animal cruelty charges in connection with setting Justice the dog on fire at a Pleasant Grove apartment complex.

Those charged include Richard Valentine, 24, Darius Carey, 24,  and Adrian Ayers, 20.

It happened at the Lake June Village apartments in Pleasant Grove in April. The dog eventually died of its injuries.

Ayers was originally listed a witness for the first defendant in the case, Darius Ewing.

He's set to go on trial in November.

In an interview in the Dallas County jail Thursday afternoon, Ayers said he's shocked he's been charged.

"I was on the other side of the apartments when it happened, so who actually did it, I didn't see, but I saw the do burst into flames -- that's what caught my attention," he told CBS 11's Jack Fink.

Fink asked, "So you had nothing do with setting the dog on fire?"

Ayers responded, "No."

Ayers is being held on $100,000 bail.

He has been in jail since April 25th, when he was arrested for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in connection with a shooting.

Bail on that case is also $100,000.

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