JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A man has been arrested after allegedly shooting his neighbor's dog Sunday night for "no reason," he told police.

Kenneth Wayne Martin, 57, has been charged with felony cruelty to animals and a misdemeanor charge of discharging a firearm in public. As of Wednesday afternoon, Martin was being held in the Duval County Jail on a total bond of $22,511. He is awaiting trial.

The incident took place in the 6900 block of Juliet Court on Sunday night. Ross William Ebey, 52, who had just moved next door to Martin, let his dog Sloopy, a four-year-old Jack Russell and Black Labrador mix, out the front door with him as he came outside to smoke a cigarette, according to a Jacksonville Sheriff's Office report.

Ebey saw that Sloopy was in Martin's driveway and called him to come back. Martin then opened his front door and shot Sloopy, Ebey told police.

Ebey said Martin told him "don't call the law, I have a bad heart." Martin then went inside and came back out with a green container and put Sloopy in it.

Officers found "Sloopy coiled up in the green container dead," and one spent shell casing, according to the report. Officers seized "Federal buck shot" ammo and the Mossberg firearm with permission from Martin and his wife. Martin told officers he got the ammo off of the Internet.

After officers read Martin his Miranda rights, he told them: "I made the biggest mistake of my life. I have no reason for what I have done."

First Coast News