Fugitive Arrested on Animal Cruelty Charges After Puppy Found Dead in Hot SUV in Macon

MACON, GA — A 43-year-old man was arrested on animal cruelty and fugitive charges Thursday, June 11, 2026, after a Bibb County Sheriff’s deputy discovered two dogs trapped inside a hot vehicle during a civil dispute call.

Donnell Nesbitt faces multiple charges, including two counts of cruelty to animals, after authorities found one dog dead and another endangered inside a parked SUV in triple-digit heat index conditions.

Civil Dispute Leads to Vehicle Discovery

The incident began when Bibb County Sheriff’s Office Patrol Division Deputy John Kile responded to a property on Villa Crest Avenue regarding a civil dispute. The property owner reported that a male had parked vehicles on the premises earlier in the day without permission.

While investigating the unauthorized vehicles, Deputy Kile inspected a Chevrolet Suburban left at the scene. Inside the SUV, the deputy discovered two dogs.

According to the incident report, a dead puppy was found hanging by a leash that had been attached to the vehicle’s rear door. A second dog was found alive inside the cabin. At the time of the discovery, outdoor temperatures were well over 90 degrees Fahrenheit, with heat index values exceeding 100 degrees. An animal enforcement officer was dispatched to the scene to take custody of the surviving dog.

Suspect Arrested Upon Return

Nesbitt returned to the Villa Crest Avenue property while deputies were still on-site and was immediately taken into custody.

A routine records check revealed that Nesbitt was operating with a suspended driver’s license. Furthermore, dispatchers discovered he was a wanted fugitive with active, outstanding warrants issued out of Stafford County, Virginia. Authorities in Stafford County confirmed the validity of the warrants and placed a formal extradition hold on him.

Nesbitt was transported to the local detention facility and booked on the animal cruelty charges. His bond has been set at $3,630.