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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS: A Wicker Park resident is facing charges of killing at least six kittens since May, with disturbing details emerging during a bail hearing on Tuesday, July 11. Thomas Martel, 22, allegedly scoured Craigslist ads after each killing to buy replacement kittens that resembled the previous ones. Prosecutors revealed that Martel recently confessed to his girlfriend that he had enjoyed killing cats since he was eight years old and that he also engaged in drinking and narcotics usage during some of the incidents.

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The Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney, Sarah Dale-Schmidt, provided gut-wrenching accounts of the allegations, painting a chilling picture of Martel's actions. According to Dale-Schmidt, some of the kittens were drowned, while others may have been subjected to even more heinous acts, such as being microwaved. She described a disturbing pattern of behavior, as Martel repeatedly killed the animals and promptly sought replacements to avoid arousing suspicion. Judge Kelly McCarthy expressed shock at the sustained nature of the crimes and the number of lives lost, stating, "Killing an animal, going out and get a replacement. Kill that one, get a replacement. Kill that one, get a replacement. And, unfortunately, this was allowed to continue for a sustained period of time and numerous animals lost their lives." McCarthy ordered Martel to pay a $7,500 bail deposit and be released on electronic monitoring.

Who is Thomas Martel?

Martel, who works at the Elmhurst-based roofing company S&D Enterprises Inc, has had his LinkedIn page taken down. He was booked into Cook County Jail on Tuesday, July 11, and is scheduled to appear in court on July 17. Reports indicate that the perpetrator suffered from mental health issues and turned himself in on Monday, July 10. His girlfriend, who eventually alerted the police about the abuse, first became aware of a potential problem on May 23 after receiving a video from an acquaintance which showed Martel throwing a pillowcase into Lake Michigan. The acquaintance claimed that the pillowcase contained Martel’s new kitten, Shelly. Although Martel is not charged in connection with this specific incident, it raised concerns for his girlfriend.

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Within a few days of the disappearance of the first kitten, Martel purchased another kitten along with an adult male cat named Reggie. While allegedly being under the influence of drugs and alcohol, Martel placed the new kitten into a tub of water on June 3, as stated by Dale-Schmidt. His girlfriend witnessed him pulling the lifeless kitten from the water and attempting to revive it by performing CPR with his thumb. The next day, Martel informed his girlfriend that the kitten needed more chest compressions, took it to the bathroom for approximately ten minutes, and emerged with its carcass, which he then put into a bag and discarded down the trash chute. Soon after, Martel apparently searched Craigslist for a replacement kitten resembling the second one he had killed, finding one that he again named Shelly.

Thomas Martel's pattern continued

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The disturbing behavior continued as Martel allegedly subjected subsequent kittens to similar fates. He apparently informed his girlfriend about wanting to teach the newly acquired kitten how to swim on June 5. A few hours later, he removed a bag from the pantry, claiming it contained the body of the drowned kitten, and he proceeded to discard it down the trash chute, similar to the previous incident. Martel once again turned to Craigslist to find another kitten. Ignoring his girlfriend's pleas for him to stop, Martel not only kicked her out of their home but promptly called her back only to request money to buy a new kitten.

Eventually, the couple obtained the fourth kitten in Woodstock. However, when the kitten urinated in its food bowl, Martel became infuriated and informed his girlfriend that the cat needed a bath. Approximately 30 minutes later, he emerged from the bathroom with the kitten wrapped in a towel, which he discarded down the trash chute. The perpetrator sent his girlfriend a photo of yet another kitten resembling the previous ones on June 7, along with a request for money to purchase it. The couple drove to Burbank and returned with the new kitten, once again naming it Shelly like the previous kittens. 

Police were notified about Thomas Martel's cruel acts

Martel's girlfriend looked at his phone and discovered graphic videos and photographs depicting his disturbing actions with the fourth kitten on June 18. One particularly disturbing image showed the kitten still alive, captioned with the words "just before I murdered her." Horrified, she sent the photos and videos to herself and promptly contacted the Chicago police.

When the girlfriend returned to Martel's apartment on June 23, she noticed that the last purchased kitten was missing, and a foul odor permeated the apartment. Martel allegedly confessed to her about killing three cats in the microwave and storing their remains in the pantry, which led to his girlfriend calling the police at night and directing them to the pantry where the bodies were stored. Officers discovered a black bag emitting a putrid smell, suspected to contain the remains of multiple kittens. Martel was then taken into custody for a week-long mental health evaluation before he turned himself in on Monday, July 10.

During the bail hearing, Brandon Brown, Martel's defense attorney, informed Judge McCarthy that his client was scheduled to begin a new mental health treatment program the following day. Brown emphasized that Martel has no previous criminal convictions and works as a roofer. As of now, he has been charged with four counts of animal torture and two counts of aggravated cruelty to animals. Judge McCarthy ordered that if Martel posts bail, he must be placed on electronic monitoring and is prohibited from obtaining, controlling, or having any contact with animals, as reported by .

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