Man Charged With Aggravated Animal Cruelty For Kicking Cat On Video Found Dead In Alabama, Death Ruled As Homicide

Dejion Roberson, recorded luring a cat to him and punting it like a football, was found dead in North Alabama. The Jackson County Sheriff’s department stated that the 21-year-old was found at approximately 3:00 a.m. on Saturday. His death is being ruled as a homicide.

The horrific video went viral after it was posted online, sharing his horrific act of animal cruelty with the world. It was later revealed that the cat died as a result of the injuries it received, resulting in an outcry from animal enthusiasts for Roberson to be found and charged with his crime.

Roberson was arrested in December of 2013 and charged with aggravated animal cruelty, according to the Daily Post Athenian. Roberson claimed he only kicked the cat because it scratched a child and he wanted to make sure the cat didn’t do it again. Authorities reported that the child had no visible wounds to show that the cat had caused injury.

The cat flew nearly twenty feet through the air after being kicked like a football, causing injuries so severe that the cat could not survive them. The video shows the cat to be friendly, as it walks up to Roberson as he calls the feline over. After a few rubs on the head to gain the cat’s trust, Roberson proceeds to punt the cat through the air while the individual recording the incident laughed hysterically. Roberson then celebrated the kick with a victory dance.

The Times Free Press shared that the death of Dejion Roberson, known as D.J. by his friends, is being ruled as a homicide. At this time, there are no suspects.

It is unknown why Roberson was the victim of homicide, or if the case of animal abuse had any impact on his death. Details surrounding the cause of his death have not been revealed at this time.

In 2011, Roberson was nominated by the Times Free Press as one of the Dynamite Dozen, the elite of area football players. He weighed in at 315 pounds and was a blocker when he was being recruited by Middle Tennessee and UTC. The cat kicking incident ruined the future of his football career.

The investigation into Roberson’s death is ongoing, and police hope their research points them to a suspect or suspects, as well as a reason for the homicide. The police department will work diligently to discover the circumstances behind Roberson’s death and provide updates when they are available.

[Photo Courtesy: Local 8 Now]