Ritualistic mutilation photos appeared online right before warning of alleged cat killers being in Asheville

Two people have been arrested and a third is being sought after police found a dead cat at the 600 block of Haywood Road in Asheville, North Carolina. 

The tragic death of Kitty was brought to the attention of the Asheville Police Department (APD) after Veronica Coit of Asheville Cat Weirdos (a cat owners group) saw Kitty on Instagram. The cat had been tortured and ritualistically mutilated. She contacted the police.

In an interview with WLOS13, Veronica stated

“To think of what these monsters did to a cat that was sweet and friendly is awful.”

Shariah Jessamyn Metzger, 26, and Jace Lee Greene, 29 were charged with killing a cat in what could be a string of animal cruelty acts that were posted on social media. So far they’ve only been charged with ‘improper burial of an animal’. Police are still looking for Zackery Eugene Greene.

Metzger and Greene originally told APD that Kitty was their cat. Police have since learned Kitty belonged to Aaron Naster. A microchip confirms this.

In an article on Enquiring Minds Media, Veronica said

“..the Instagram photos of Kitty appeared online right before the group received warnings from concerned people in Charlotte, who had been tracking the Greenes and Metzger, that the trio might be headed to Asheville. Charlotte has experienced a rash of cat killings and maimings recently, and in July one Charlotte area cat was kidnapped and held for ransom.”

Veronica told APD Detective Sgt. John Zeigler she could identify the building in the Instagram photos and courageously followed them Saturday night until police arrived. The body was later found and was sent off for necropsy to determine whether Kitty was still alive when she was tortured.

Metzer posted bond and is out of jail while Jace Greene is still in jail.

Zackery Greene posted on his Facebook page that Kitty was already dead when he and his friends found him. 

“Threatening humans for desecrating road kill is out of line.”

Aaron Naster told News13 he didn’t know the three people allegedly responsible for Kitty’s death. Naster said Kitty went missing on October 22. He was adopted two years ago from Brother Wolf Animal Rescue. The family describe Kitty as very friendly and said that’s how his alleged killers were able to get their hands on him. He loved everyone.

On Sunday, instead of preparing for Halloween, Aaron Naster and his children 21-year-old Charlie, 17-year-old Sydney and 13-year-old Giriffen, spent the day taking down Halloween decorations and replacing them with a memorial to Kitty.

RELATED POST: New charges filed in Asheville ritualistic cat mutilation case; bond increased to $20,000

Greene (not sure which one) has a prior record in NC that includes 14 arrests, including five driving while impaired arrests, hit/run leaving the scene with property damage, and assault by strangulation.

The trio, described as “drifters,” are maintaining their innocence. For any person to maliciously torture, mutilate, maim, cruelly beat, disfigure, poison, or kill any animal is considered a Class H misdemeanor.

This article will be updated as more information becomes available. Anyone with more facts is welcome to post them in the comment section.

RELATED: Ritualistic mutilation photos appeared online right before warning of alleged cat killers being in Asheville