Matthew Miller, 31, was convicted by an Ulster County jury in the shooting death of his friend's dog, the Times Herald Record reports. The Kerhonkson man was convicted with aggravated cruelty to animals after shooting his friend's 9-year-old dog in March 2014.

Ulster County District Attorney Holley Carnright said the case was brought to their attention after the Ulster County SPCA investigated a report of a dog being shot at a home. Miller allegedly told the SPCA that that he shot a stray dog that had wandered onto his property after being injured with a fight from another dog. The SPCA found no evidence that the dog had been in a fight after they dug up the dog's body.

Miller had been watching the dog for his longtime friend, Lauren Kosonen. Miller's motivation for killing the dog is still not known.

Miller is due for sentencing April 3 by Ulster County Court Judge Don Williams.

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