Rockford, IL — A 19-year-old man has been arrested following disturbing allegations that he tortured and killed multiple animals over the past year.
Landon Mikaelson was taken into custody on June 11 by Rockford Police after a local resident reported that Mikaelson had strangled his cat and dog. The same individual told investigators that the teen had previously killed a cat and dog in separate incidents.
According to the police report, the cat was allegedly strangled on two separate occasions—May 29 and May 30—while the dog was reportedly killed on May 2. A witness from the May 30 incident confirmed seeing Mikaelson attacking the cat and stated he had to physically intervene to stop the assault.
Further investigation revealed a prior report made in December 2024, when a woman claimed that Mikaelson called her on Instagram video chat and showed her a cat he had killed. Court documents say he admitted to strangling, kicking, and punching the animal because it was meowing too much.
Despite these allegations, Mikaelson denied harming any animals when questioned by officers.
He now faces multiple charges, including cruelty to animals and animal torture in connection with the most recent reports and the December 2024 incident.
Authorities say the case remains under investigation.
