A former Baylor University student pleaded guilty Wednesday to two counts of cruelty to non-livestock animals in the 2025 shooting deaths of two cats whose bodies were found tied to a shoe and slung over utility wires in Waco. James Cameron Barnes, 23, entered what's known as an open plea, meaning he admitted guilt without a negotiated sentencing deal, leaving his punishment entirely up to the court.
Barnes offered no comment after entering his pleas, according to KWTX, which reported he has since moved back to Little Rock, Arkansas. His attorney, Gerald Villarrial, said his client is seeking deferred probation and has waived his right to appeal. The McLennan County District Attorney's Office made no punishment recommendation as part of the plea.
Each of the two counts is a third-degree felony carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, meaning Barnes theoretically faces up to 20 years combined if the judge imposes the harshest penalty on both counts. Judge Susan Kelly of the 54th State District Court will decide the sentence after reviewing a background report from the county's probation department. She could grant Barnes's request for deferred probation, place him on regular probation instead, or send him to prison for up to a decade on each count. Sentencing is likely to happen in January, per the same report.
How the Case Came Together
The investigation traces back to a call Waco animal control officers received about two dead cats hanging from telephone wires in the 1700 block of South Ninth Street near Bagby Avenue. Arrest documents said a woman and her son who spotted the objects dangling from the lines initially mistook them for a pair of shoes before realizing the string was tied around dead cats.
An autopsy found that both cats had been shot in the head before being tied to a shoe and thrown over the line, according to KWTX's earlier reporting on the indictment. Police wrote in the arrest affidavit that “the cats were removed and an autopsy revealed that both cats had been shot in the head prior to being tied to the shoe and thrown over the line.” A Waco police detective working the case received tips implicating Barnes, and two local fraternity members alleged he had killed the cats with a pellet gun.
A detective wrote in the arrest warrant that Barnes and another person repeatedly tried to throw the cats over the lines at a house on South Ninth Street until they succeeded. Barnes's attorney told the detective at the time that his client would not comment on the incident. Baylor officials later confirmed Barnes had graduated on May 17, 2025, saying he was a recent graduate when the offense occurred, and called the act “abhorrent and does not reflect Baylor Christian values.”
Grand Jury Indictment and Public Outcry
A McLennan County grand jury indicted Barnes in June on the two felony counts, and he remained free after posting $20,000 bail, the station's report noted. The case drew national attention from animal-welfare advocates, who said the cats belonged to a managed colony that the Waco Animal Birth Control Clinic had monitored and cared for through its trap, neuter and return program for more than 15 years, according to a separate KWTX report on reaction to the indictment.
An animal rights group described the killings as “heinous and sadistic,” and activists delivered a petition to the McLennan County District Attorney's Office demanding Barnes be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. The petition had more than 18,000 signatures when organizers presented it to prosecutors.
What Happens Next
Felony deferred probation, the outcome Barnes's attorney is pursuing, can allow a defendant to avoid a final felony conviction and judgment of guilt if probation terms are met in full. Whether Judge Kelly will grant that request, impose regular probation, or send Barnes to prison remains undecided, with sentencing expected to play out in January after the probation department completes its background review. Barnes remains free on bond in the meantime.
