Topline: James Barnes has been indicted in the Waco case involving two cats found shot and hanging from utility lines on South Ninth Street.
Published: June 28, 2026 7:00 am ET
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James Barnes (via McLennan County Jail)
WACO, TX — A grand jury indicted James Barnes on June 25 in the case involving two cats that were found hanging from utility lines on South Ninth Street in Waco, according to local coverage of the indictment.
According to KCEN and earlier reporting from KWTX, Barnes was previously accused of killing the cats with a pellet gun and recording himself and another person repeatedly trying to throw the bodies over the utility lines until they were successful.
Investigators said Waco Animal Control received a call on May 20, 2025, about two dead cats hanging from telephone wires in the 1700 block of South Ninth Street near Bagby Avenue.
An arrest warrant affidavit said the cats were tied with a piece of string, with a shoe attached to one end. An autopsy later found both cats had been shot in the head before they were tied to the shoe and thrown over the line.
Police said tips pointed detectives to Barnes, and investigators later spoke with two members of a local fraternity who alleged Barnes killed the cats with a pellet gun.
Barnes, a former Baylor student and 2025 graduate, was arrested in Waco on a cruelty to a non-livestock animal charge. Earlier coverage said he was held in the McLennan County Jail on a $20,000 bond.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
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Authorities Say Former Baylor Student Filmed Himself Throwing Dead Cats Onto Utility Lines
James Barnes has been indicted in the Waco case involving two cats found shot and hanging from utility lines on South Ninth Street.
By Aaron Stephensen
Published: June 28, 2026 7:00 am ET
James Barnes (via McLennan County Jail)
WACO, TX — A grand jury indicted James Barnes on June 25 in the case involving two cats that were found hanging from utility lines on South Ninth Street in Waco, according to local coverage of the indictment.
According to KCEN and earlier reporting from KWTX, Barnes was previously accused of killing the cats with a pellet gun and recording himself and another person repeatedly trying to throw the bodies over the utility lines until they were successful.
Investigators said Waco Animal Control received a call on May 20, 2025, about two dead cats hanging from telephone wires in the 1700 block of South Ninth Street near Bagby Avenue.
An arrest warrant affidavit said the cats were tied with a piece of string, with a shoe attached to one end. An autopsy later found both cats had been shot in the head before they were tied to the shoe and thrown over the line.
Police said tips pointed detectives to Barnes, and investigators later spoke with two members of a local fraternity who alleged Barnes killed the cats with a pellet gun.
Barnes, a former Baylor student and 2025 graduate, was arrested in Waco on a cruelty to a non-livestock animal charge. Earlier coverage said he was held in the McLennan County Jail on a $20,000 bond.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Authorities Say Former Baylor Student Filmed Himself Throwing Dead Cats Onto Utility Lines
James Barnes has been indicted in the Waco case involving two cats found shot and hanging from utility lines on South Ninth Street.
By Aaron Stephensen
Published: June 28, 2026 7:00 am ET
James Barnes (via McLennan County Jail)
WACO, TX — A grand jury indicted James Barnes on June 25 in the case involving two cats that were found hanging from utility lines on South Ninth Street in Waco, according to local coverage of the indictment.
According to KCEN and earlier reporting from KWTX, Barnes was previously accused of killing the cats with a pellet gun and recording himself and another person repeatedly trying to throw the bodies over the utility lines until they were successful.
Investigators said Waco Animal Control received a call on May 20, 2025, about two dead cats hanging from telephone wires in the 1700 block of South Ninth Street near Bagby Avenue.
An arrest warrant affidavit said the cats were tied with a piece of string, with a shoe attached to one end. An autopsy later found both cats had been shot in the head before they were tied to the shoe and thrown over the line.
Police said tips pointed detectives to Barnes, and investigators later spoke with two members of a local fraternity who alleged Barnes killed the cats with a pellet gun.
Barnes, a former Baylor student and 2025 graduate, was arrested in Waco on a cruelty to a non-livestock animal charge. Earlier coverage said he was held in the McLennan County Jail on a $20,000 bond.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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