A 34-year-old Elkton man faces a felony animal-fighting charge after St. Johns County deputies found a dog shot five times at his Ninth Street property.

Jake Cameron Matthew was arrested Thursday and charged with possessing or using an animal for fighting or baiting, according to the arrest report. The charge is a third-degree felony under Florida Statute 828.122, known as the Animal Fighting Act.

Investigators also found two caged piglets and two dead cats on the property. The arrest report states such animals are frequently used to bait or train fighting dogs.

Gunfire reports led deputies to a dead dog

The St. Johns County Sheriff's Office investigation began Aug. 25, when deputies responded to two reports of gunfire near Matthew's home, St. Johns Citizen first reported. Deputies found nothing suspicious that night.

The next morning, a dead dog was discovered on a vacant lot directly behind Matthew's residence. Investigators executed a search warrant and found additional remains belonging to the dog, identified in the arrest report as Matthew's adult female dog, Daisy. Matthew told detectives he had buried the dog's body on the neighboring lot, according to the report.

The remains were sent to the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine for a necropsy. The examination determined Daisy had been shot five times at close range, according to the arrest report.

Second search turned up shell casings

Deputies returned to the property Sept. 2 for a second search. They found recently fired 9 mm shell casings near where the dog had been buried and removed a fired bullet from a nearby tree.

The sheriff's office cited TikTok posts that allegedly showed Matthew holding a pistol and included images of dogs, an injured dog and statements about his participation in dogfighting. Investigators said Matthew made several statements that were contradicted by the necropsy findings.

Convicted felon, but no firearm charge

Matthew is a convicted felon prohibited from possessing firearms, according to the affidavit. Investigators found a gun-cleaning kit, pistol case and wall-mounted holster inside his home but did not recover a firearm. The arrest paperwork lists only the single animal-fighting charge.

No court date has been announced. Residents can contact the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office at 904-824-8304 to report suspected animal cruelty.