Las Vegas Sun

April 23, 2024

Law students charged in Las Vegas bird beheading case

Prosecutors have filed charges against two University of California, Berkeley law school students accused in the death and decapitation of an exotic bird at a Las Vegas resort attraction.

Twenty-four-year-old Justin Teixeira was charged Thursday with felony killing of another person's animal and other torture and cruelty counts. Twenty-four-year-old Eric Cuellar was charged with misdemeanor instigating or engaging in animal cruelty.

Police say the two men were seen Oct. 12 laughing and throwing around the body of a dead, 14-year-old helmeted guineafowl at the Flamingo resort-casino. The large bird named Turk was part of the Flamingo's Wildlife Habitat, a garden area with ponds and streams that houses many types of birds.

The men were released on bond after their arrest and are set to be arraigned Feb. 11.

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