Wilmington man pleads guilty to killing kittens

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — In May, Daniel Eligha Knotts, 20, was accused of strangling two kittens. In court today, he admitted he did it.

On May 3, Knotts strangled the kittens when they were only a few weeks old. Someone living in Florida notified Wilmington Police. An officer who responded to a home on Graham Street found the kittens, Cali and Tiny, buried behind a home.

Knotts admitted his guilt to his roommate and police. In court, he entered a plea of guilty to two counts of animal cruelty.

Prosecutor Connie Jordan said, “The defendant entered a plea of guilty today as charged. We hope that serving time in jail and court-ordered participation in mental health treatment will compel Mr. Knotts to take a new path in the future. This criminal behavior is incredibly disturbing to say the least and an indication of future
concerns; this is the reason the charges were not reduced and why the defendant received the maximum sentence under the law.”

Knotts received a total of a year to 34 months suspended sentence with five years supervised probation, the maximum time allowed under NC las.

He must serve 75 days in jail prior to being released on probation. He will also be required to complete mental health and substance abuse evaluations and treatment, comply with prescribed medication, and is not allowed to possess or care for any animals during probation.

The District Attorney’s Office says NC does not have a registry for animal abusers.