Florida man used antifreeze to poison neighborhood cats and dogs, sheriff says

DUNNELLON, Fla. - A Florida man was arrested after detectives say he purposely poisoned pets in his neighborhood using antifreeze.

Marion County investigators arrested 36-year-old Jeremy Stromwall on aggravated animal cruelty charges. On Dec. 2, deputies responded to the 20100 block of Southwest 84th Lane in Dunnellon after receiving a report that a cat had possibly been poisoned.

The pet owner, John Scharf, told investigators his cat, named "Mr. Cat," began acting sick and was having seizures the previous night. He took Mr. Cat to Dunnellon Animal Hospital for treatment, where it passed away. According to the sheriff's office, further testing determined his pet was likely poisoned.

Scharf told FOX 13 he later realized his dog, Bella, also died after experiencing similar symptoms months earlier.

Booking image for Jeremy Stromwall.

"Oh my gosh, it was terrible," he recalled. "I was up with the poor kitty all night. It was going through convulsions. It was just terrible. It's a tragedy. It's one of these things where you just don't think that you're around people that could do that."

According to the sheriff's office, a veterinarian at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine determined Mr. Cat likely died from ingesting antifreeze. Investigators then exhumed remains of three pets belonging to one of Scharf's neighbors, Cynthia Hadzima, and learned they were also poisoned with antifreeze.

Detectives said they found a bowl of tuna outside the suspect's home, which is across the street from Scharf and Hadzima. The food was sent to Texas A&M University’s Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, where experts tested the tuna and determined that it had been laced with antifreeze.

"They were cute. They were adorable, soft little furballs," said Hadzima, who said at least five of her cats died the same way. "Within a week or two, I would find cats dead on my front lawn and in my driveway."

Deputies searched Stromwall's property and said they found three containers of antifreeze, multiple cans of tuna, and fish-flavored rat poison.

"We're just very grateful that this investigation was able to be concluded with an arrest of someone who was doing this horrible thing and was unable to just because he was annoyed by them or what have you," said Zach Moore, a spokesperson for the Marion County Sheriff's Office.

"[Stromwall] really needs to be in jail. He really does," added Hadzima. "There's something wrong with this guy. He's sick, and he's very, very sick."

The four counts of aggravated animal cruelty charges stem from the four animals that tested positive for antifreeze poisoning. 

FOX 13 stopped by Stromwall's home, but no one answered the door.