A 56-year-old Iberia Parish man is facing an animal cruelty charge after deputies on routine patrol spotted a dead pet pig hanging from a tree along a rural stretch of road northwest of Jeanerette. Ronald Trahan was booked into the Iberia Parish jail on charges of animal cruelty and a parole violation, with no bond set at the time of his booking.
Deputies Make Gruesome Discovery During Patrol
Iberia Parish Sheriff's Office deputies were patrolling the 7700 block of East Admiral Doyle Drive on Sept. 19 when they came across the animal suspended from a tree, according to KLFY. The pig was later identified as someone's pet, Acadiana News First reported, citing the sheriff's office.
What followed was a monthslong investigation into how the animal died and whether a crime had been committed. Investigators gathered witness statements from the neighborhood and reviewed video evidence as part of that effort, according to 96.5 KPEL.
Witness Accounts and Video Point to Cruelty
The station's report notes that further investigation, including those witness statements and video evidence, led deputies to believe the pig's death was the result of animal cruelty. That conclusion ultimately led to Trahan's arrest more than a month after the pig was first found.
Trahan was booked into the Iberia Parish jail just after noon on a Wednesday, per the same account from CenLa Now. He is charged with animal cruelty and a parole violation, and no bond had been set as of the latest reports.
Investigation Continues as Authorities Pledge Accountability
As of Thursday, the investigation remained ongoing, according to Acadiana News First. Louisiana law defines simple cruelty to animals as intentionally or negligently overdriving, overloading, or overworking a living animal, among other prohibited acts, according to the text of the state statute published by the Louisiana State Legislature. It remains unclear exactly which provision of that law applies to the charge against Trahan.
Iberia Parish Sheriff Tommy Romero and his department have emphasized that allegations of animal cruelty are taken seriously, and authorities say they remain committed to investigating suspected animal abuse and pursuing accountability whenever the evidence supports criminal charges. No additional details about how the pig died or the broader circumstances surrounding the incident have been publicly disclosed.
