HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — A former police officer has been arrested after detectives say he intentionally poisoned and killed his girlfriend’s dog while she was away on a trip.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) announced the arrest of 22-year-old Edwin Campuzano on Friday. He is facing a charge of Aggravated Cruelty to Animals.
According to investigators, the incident happened back in May 2025. Campuzano’s girlfriend had left town for a few days. While she was gone, authorities say Campuzano put poison pellets into the food bowl of her dog, a 3-year-old Maltese Poodle.
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The dog ate the food and later died.
Detectives say the motive was simple: Campuzano told them he just didn’t like the dog.
Although the dog died in May, the incident wasn’t reported to the Sheriff’s Office until December 2025. Once investigators started looking into the case, they found key evidence. They recovered leftover poison pellets from the dog’s bowl.
They also found a store receipt showing Campuzano bought the poison at a Tractor Supply store using his own debit card. The purchase was made just two days before his girlfriend left for her trip.
On January 16, 2026, a warrant was issued for his arrest. Campuzano turned himself in later that same day.
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At the time the dog was killed, Campuzano was working as a full-time police officer with the Bartow Police Department. Officials confirmed he is no longer employed by the agency.
“Those who wear the badge are held to a higher standard, and when someone falls short of that responsibility, it reflects a serious failure of the values we are sworn to uphold,” Hillsborough County Sheriff Chronister said. “This innocent animal deserved care and protection, and the trust placed in him as a partner makes this loss all the more senseless.”
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