Published: January 26, 2009 10:04 am      

Couple indicted for animal cruelty

Indictment stems from the discovery of various dead, malnourished animals; 5 others also indicted in Knox

By Carl Keith Greene / Staff Writer

The Knox County couple charged in September with multiple counts of animal cruelty after officials found numerous dead and malnourished animals on their property were indicted Friday by a grand jury in Knox County Circuit Court.

Earl Enlow, 24, and Melanie Rogers, 22, were indicted on 16 counts charging them with animal cruelty and torture. The pair faces one count of torture of a dog with serious physical injury or death for subjecting a dog to extreme physical pain resulting in its death, five counts of second-degree cruelty to animals for intentionally neglecting horses, and 10 counts of torture of a dog or cat for intentionally subjecting dogs in their custody to extreme physical pain.

In September 2008, the Knox County Sheriff’s Department responded to a complaint of malnourished horses at the Jarvis-area residence of Enlow and Rogers. Officials found at least one horse, rabbit, cat, five dogs and three roosters dead on the property. While the cat had been buried, the other animals had been left to decompose throughout the yard. Officials from the Knox-Whitley Animal Shelter also seized 13 living dogs and six horses, several of which were malnourished.

Last year, state legislation was changed to make animal cruelty a felony in the state of Kentucky.

Also indicted were Jessica Ennd, 18, and Christopher Disney, 29, both of Gray. The pair was indicted on two counts of second-degree burglary and first-degree burglary. Disney was also indicted on the charge of fourth-degree assault.

On Dec. 20, 2008, the Knox County Sheriff’s Office arrested the two after receiving the report of a residential burglary in progress on Crystal Cover Lane. According to police, the homeowners had returned and allegedly found Disney in their home. Through further investigation, it was found Ennd was allegedly at the scene and was driving the getaway vehicle.

Police said the two were also involved in other burglaries in the Gray and Corbin area.

The grand jury also returned indictments against the following:

• Roscoe Neace, flagrant non support

• Dan Peace, first-degree criminal mischief, theft by unlawful taking under $300, public intoxication, resisting arrest

The grand jury continued cases against the following:

Mark Adams, Chester Shumate, Brett Barrett, Shane Mills, Misty Broughton

The grand jury dismissed cases against the following:

Ernie Helton, Will Hollin, Ralph Jones, Curtis Jenkins