A man accused in West Hollywood of stomping an older chihuahua named Dallas and throwing him off a balcony pleaded not guilty Wednesday to felony charges that have kept his case open for more than a year. Anmol Bhatia, who prosecutors say broke into his former roommate’s apartment on the 1200 block of North Harper Avenue after being kicked out days earlier, appeared for arraignment on Sept. 30 and entered his plea to an information outlining the charges he will now defend against as the case moves forward.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the attack took place at 11:36 p.m. on Sept. 4, 2025, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said Bhatia did not have permission to enter the apartment that night. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office reported that surveillance video captured at least part of what happened to Dallas, and the Times quoted authorities describing the footage: “The footage shows a masked man enter the apartment and jog toward the small dog. The man then proceeds to attack the dog until it stops moving.” Bhatia is accused of slamming Dallas to the ground and stomping on him before throwing the unresponsive chihuahua from the balcony; the dog was later found dead outside the building.
Investigators identified Bhatia, 27, as a person of interest, noting he had previously lived at the apartment and was a friend of Dallas’ owner before being kicked out several days before the break-in. He was arrested in Beverly Hills on Sept. 21, 2025, after officers from that city’s police department recognized him from a description shared by sheriff’s investigators, the Times reported. He was booked into West Hollywood Station on suspicion of burglary, vandalism and animal cruelty.
Felony Charges and a Vulnerable-Victim Allegation
Prosecutors charged Bhatia with one felony count each of first-degree residential burglary, animal cruelty and vandalism, according to NBC Los Angeles. The vandalism count involves at least $400 in damage or destruction of property, and investigators believe, per the Times, that Bhatia stole several items from the apartment, including a backpack containing his former roommate’s wallet, identification, credit cards and cash, along with damage to a large-screen television.
Court records also include an allegation under a California law that provides additional punishment for crimes against particularly vulnerable victims, which covers people aged 65 or older. NBC Los Angeles reported that the burglary charge includes an allegation that the victim was at least 65 years old, a fact prosecutors say Bhatia knew or should have known. The allegation is not a separate elder-abuse charge. If convicted as charged, Bhatia faces as much as eight years and four months in state prison.
A Case Delayed by a Bench Warrant and Attorney Change
The timeline shows a preliminary hearing was held on Aug. 11, with an information filed on Aug. 25 setting the charges Bhatia now faces. Along the way, the case saw its own complications: a court issued a bench warrant for Bhatia in March and briefly forfeited his bond, only to recall the warrant and reinstate the bond five days later. Court records do not specify what prompted the warrant.
Bhatia’s bond has been reported at two different figures. WEHOonline.com reported the bond amounted to $350,000, while NBC Los Angeles reported bail was set at $175,000 shortly after his arrest. The court also entered a medical order on Oct. 30, 2025, followed by a sealed order the next day appointing a professional at court expense. The Public Defender’s Office was later relieved from the case. Bhatia is now represented by private attorney Samuel Maurice Weiss.
What Comes Next
Bhatia pleaded not guilty to the information at his arraignment, and the case remains open, according to WEHOonline.com. He is due back in court for a pretrial conference on Nov. 6, more than a year after Dallas’ death set off the investigation that led sheriff’s investigators to Beverly Hills and, ultimately, to this week’s plea.
