Florida police have arrested a former police officer for allegedly killing his ex-girlfriend’s dog.
A statement from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office noted Edwin Campuzano it was delivered on January 16.
Investigators had obtained a warrant for his arrest in December 2025, and Campuzano, 22, turned himself in when he learned he was wanted.
Campuzano allegedly poisoned the 3-year-old Maltese poodle, Milo, while her ex, Paula FernandezI was away on vacation.
“He kept telling me that he didn’t like Milo, but I didn’t think he would do something like that,” Fernández offered during a press conference held on Friday, January 23.
Fernandez was on vacation on May 30, 2025, when her neighbor who had been checking on the dog called to say Milo was gone.
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“I’ll never forget that call. I’ll never forget that day,” Fernandez said during the press conference. “I just felt my heart drop, and it didn’t make sense because I made sure to say goodbye in the morning before our flight, and I was perfectly fine. I was happy.
“When we came home, we came home to an empty house when we should have come home with Milo running up to us, waving at us,” she continued. “On top of that, there was blood on the floor next to the door, which we had to clean up because (he had) vomited.”
Fernandez said Campuzano sent flowers, along with his condolences, to his ex.
“At the time, I thought it was a sweet gesture, but now knowing that he is responsible for Milo’s death is a pain I can’t even describe,” said Fernández in the press conference.
Fernandez spoke with police about the dog’s death and shared photos of pellet remains she found in Milo’s food bowl. Eventually, the police would discover that it was actually rodent poison.
An autopsy was performed on Milo and it was confirmed that he died of poisoning.
Investigators later obtained a copy of Campuzano’s credit card bill, which reportedly showed he bought the poison from a tractor supply business two days before Milo was found dead.
“He died a painful death and he died alone,” said Fernández in the press conference. “I just hope there’s some way to get justice for Milo because he didn’t deserve this.”
She added: “The scariest part for me about all of this is that there were no signs. (Campuzano) was very dear, a completely sweet boyfriend to me. We hardly ever argued. There were no other signs that he didn’t like Milo and I summed it up by the fact that he wasn’t a dog person. He was a perfect boyfriend, so that makes it that much scarier.”
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At the time of Milo’s death, Campuzano was a full-time law enforcement officer with the Bartow Police Department, but is no longer a member of that department.
Campuzano has been charged with aggravated cruelty to animals.
“Those who wear the badge are held to a higher standard, and when someone fails to live up to that responsibility, it reflects a serious failure of the values we are sworn to uphold,” the sheriff said. Chad Chronister in a press release about the crime. “This innocent animal deserved care and protection, and the trust placed in him as a partner makes this loss even more senseless.”
If you know or suspect animal abuse or neglect, please contact the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. through its website or call your local animal control officer.