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ORLANDO, Fla. - A Brevard County jury has convicted a Palm Bay man of animal cruelty.
Jurors found 37-year-old Paul R. Heinemann guilty on May 8 after prosecutors argued that he stabbed his dog in the eye with scissors in an apparent attempt to kill the animal.
The backstory:
Prosecutors said Heinemann attacked Doobie, a 10-year-old black Labrador retriever-boxer mix, in March 2025 while sitting with the dog on the floor of his widowed stepmother’s home.
The stepmother testified that she heard Heinemann say, "I was meant to kill the dog," before attempting to stab Doobie again. She told jurors she grabbed the scissors from him and called police.
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According to an arrest report, responding Palm Bay police officers found bloody scissors inside the home and the dog "excessively panting with a stab to the right eye." Officers arrested Heinemann, and Animal Control took the dog for veterinary treatment.
Jurors found 37-year-old Paul R. Heinemann guilty on May 8 after prosecutors argued that he stabbed his dog in the eye with scissors in an apparent attempt to kill the animal.
The stepmother said the dog had not been acting aggressively before the attack.
Doobie survived the injury but later died from an unrelated illness while in the care of family members before the case went to trial.
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Heinemann did not speak with investigators after the incident and did not testify during the trial.
What's next:
Heinemann has remained in the Brevard County Jail without bond since his arrest. Circuit Judge Kathryn Speicher scheduled sentencing for June 23. He faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000.
The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the Palm Bay Police Department.