A man and woman accused of animal cruelty were found in Las Cruces, NM, after the man failed to appear for his sentencing on July 30.
Lester Richmond and Heather Auditor were tracked down on August 1 and found at a bus stop in Las Cruces.
Richmond, 35, is being held in New Mexico and is awaiting extradition to Arizona.
He reportedly confessed after a husky was found abandoned in an alley near Miller Road and Latham Street in Scottsdale.
Police found the dog in the alley on June 27, 2023 with its mouth taped shut.
Richmond and Auditor were arrested on July 20, 2023, during a traffic stop near Miller Road and Pierce Street, a half-mile from where the husky was found.
Lester Richmond (Las Cruces Police Department mug shot)
Surveillance video linked Richmond’s vehicle to the crime.
“After identifying Richmond as a possible lead, investigators were able to obtain video surveillance of Richmond and Auditor discussing getting rid of the puppy,” police said in a statement in July 2023.
Flight risk patterns
In December, Richmond was charged by Maricopa County District Attorney Rachel Mitchell.
He was found and arrested months later in February 2024 in Troy, Alabama, and extradited to Arizona.
Richmond is expected to be extradited to Arizona within 30 days of his arrest in New Mexico.
