Cohasset man's coyote hunt ends in family dog's death, maine burial
A quiet Massachusetts suburb is reeling after a Cohasset man allegedly shot and killed his wife's 14-year-old dog while attempting to hunt coyotes from his second-story window, subsequently burying the animal in Maine. The incident, captured on home security footage, has resulted in criminal charges and a suspended firearms license for Christopher Lucas, 59.
The details of a troubling incident
According to Cohasset Police, the August incident unfolded on Hillside Drive when Lucas fired a weapon from his home's second floor, intending to target a coyote. Instead, the shot struck the family dog in the head, proving fatal. The account, relayed to authorities, claims Lucas then transported the dog's remains to Maine for burial, a detail that significantly escalated the severity of the situation.
Lucas now faces charges of animal cruelty and hunting without a license. The situation is further complicated by the fact that the shooting occurred outside of the legal Massachusetts hunting season and without a valid hunting license. The Cohasset Police Department seized several firearms from the residence, and Lucas’s license to carry has been suspended.
Divorce and delayed disclosure: a complicating factor
During his arraignment in Quincy District Court, prosecutors stated Lucas informed his wife he believed he had been shooting at a coyote. But what’s fueling speculation is the revelation, introduced by Lucas’s defense attorney, that the couple is undergoing a divorce. The attorney suggested this might explain the delay in reporting the incident. But that doesn’t absolve Lucas of the gravity of his actions.
The judge ordered Lucas to stay away from his wife and surrender all firearms. A request for GPS monitoring and confinement within the state was denied. The incident highlights a disturbing confluence of circumstances – a misguided hunting attempt, a tragic loss of a beloved pet, and a family fracturing under the strain of divorce. And while the legal proceedings will undoubtedly shed more light on the events, the image of a man burying his dog in Maine remains a stark and unsettling detail.