Dog left to die on Massachusetts beach by owner, finds his forever home

Massachusetts State Police have issued a positive update after a dog was left abandoned on a beach at high tide.

Elias Pacheco-Osario, 27, of Revere, was taken into custody by Troopers in September following an investigation led by Trooper Carlo Mastromattei and assisted by several other Troopers and Revere Police Officers. Trooper Mastromattei worked on the investigation while working his shift out of the State Police-Revere Barracks and also while on his own time over the course of several days.

At about 12:15 p.m. Sunday, August 29, Trooper Mastromattei was dispatched to Winthrop Parkway for a report of an abandoned dog tied to a pole along the shoreline on Short Beach in Revere. Also assisting on scene was Revere Police Sgt. Jack Dean.

MP stated that the approximately 50-pound dog had a thick metal chain around his neck with a heavy rock attached to it, preventing the dog from escaping. The dog was left in a secluded portion of the beach close to the waterline, chained to a piece of rebar exposed at the bottom of the walkway where it meets the sand at the high tide line. During certain parts of the day, this portion of the beach is completely submerged, with the tide rising as high as street level, past the point where the dog was chained. The dog was at risk of drowning in a couple of hours if he hadn’t been found.

Trooper Mastromattei subsequently obtained information that the suspect was a Hispanic male with facial hair who may live at an apartment at 35 Roughan Street, an area not far from Short Beach.

The next day Trooper Mastromattei and Trooper Pasquale Zollo canvassed the area around the beach for residential video surveillance and located video from three separate residences showing a male suspect walking the dog toward Short Beach. A fourth video obtained by Revere Police Detective David Caramanica showed the same man walk down the beach ramp to the sand with the dog. All four videos show a metal chain collar and leash attached to the dog consistent with those found attached to the dog on scene.

On the morning of Friday, Sept. 3, Troopers Mastromattei, John Skabeikis, and Christopher Kane went to Roughan Street in furtherance of the investigation. There, they developed information that the suspect, who indeed lived there, was Elias Pacheco-Osario and that he was working at construction site in Wakefield. They also learned that the dog had been named “Killer.”

Trooper Mastromattei went to the job site and located Pacheco-Osario, who consented to be brought to the Revere Barracks to be interviewed. Upon arrival at the Revere Barracks, Pacheco-Osario was issued Miranda rights in Spanish and volunteered to speak to Trooper Mastromattei and Revere Police Officer Joel Melendez. During the interview, the Trooper and Officer were able to confirm that Pacheco-Osario had been the dog’s owner and had walked to the beach the previous Sunday, tied him to the steel rod, and walked away, abandoning him. The suspect said he had decided he could not keep the dog any longer.

Pacheco-Osario was then placed under arrest for animal cruelty and booked. escorted downstairs to the booking room and was advised that he was under arrest. Pacheco-Osario was booked with the assistance of Officer Melendez.

After being victimized, life began to get brighter for the male pit bull mix. From the local kennel he went to Sweet Paws Rescue, and that’s where Bobby Shannon found him. They won each other’s hearts, and the dog had his forever home, and a new name — Horus, after the Egyptian god of the sky who was said to hold the sun in his right eye and the moon in his left.

“He had a rough start to his life but is doing amazing now,” Bobby said. “He is very smart, doing well with his training, and loves hikes.”

MSP is happy with the outcome.

“We found Horus on his worst day. Now all of his best days are ahead.”