Dozens expected at 'Justice for Dexter' rally outside Pinellas County Courthouse on Monday

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Bay Area animal activists are banding together on Monday to rally outside the Pinellas County Courthouse for Dexter, the dog found decapitated in May, just one day after he was adopted.

The four-year-old bulldog mix's body was found in a plastic bag, floating in the mangroves at Fort DeSoto Park on May 11. Through Dexter's microchip, detectives traced the crime back to the man who adopted him one day prior, 66-year-old Domingo Rodriguez of St. Petersburg.

Amber Szedlar and Amy Benoni have volunteered at the Pinellas County Animal Shelter for nearly ten years. Both met Dexter in passing during his time at the shelter.

Courtesy: Pinellas County Sheriff's Office

"What we know of him and what we've heard from our other volunteers was that he was truly that cuddler, wanted to snuggle up with you on the bench, get those belly rubs. Total, total, just a lover kind of dog," Benoni said.

Both women were devastated to hear about how his life ended.

"I was at a work function, and I started to see the text messages come in and really it was a sick feeling because you really are in disbelief that somebody could adopt such a gorgeous dog and you think that dog is going to his forever home," Benoni said.

PREVIOUS: Man decapitates newly adopted dog, dumps body in Fort DeSoto Park: PCSO

Now they’re turning their grief into passion to bring justice to Rodriguez ahead of a court date Monday afternoon.

"There is a motion to suppress evidence that was gained during the search warrant. We want that evidence to be present, we want that to be considered in this case and also, we want to set a tone that we are not going anywhere. This is the beginning, and we are in this for the long haul," Szedlar said.

More than 60 people are joining the two for a rally outside the Pinellas County Justice Center at 1 p.m.

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"Our hearts just broke and, in fact, we're extremely (in favor of) Ponce's Law that was passed in 2018 that actually results in convicted abusers being given stronger sentences," Szedlar said. "We want to see justice and we want to see justice for Dexter."

"It's just devastating and I know that sometimes these guys are understaffed and they're doing the best they can. But for this guy to come in and act like he's saving a dog and the very next day do what he did to that dog," Natalie Conner, owner of Mutts & Martinis in Downtown St. Pete, said.

Conner and some of her employees plan to join the rally.

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"To me, he's a scary individual and nobody does that to anything unless you need to be behind bars," she said.

The group has launched an online petition that’s close to 63,000 signatures as of Sunday night.

In response to the case, Pinellas County Animal Services shared this statement:

"Our staff and our volunteers take the welfare of our animals personally, and so we grieve with them in the wake of Dexter’s death. Our department has fully cooperated with the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office investigation and continues to monitor the case. We encourage anyone who sees animal abuse happening in Pinellas County to report it by calling our offices at (727) 582-2600 and selecting Option 4."

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