Protestors rally outside the Santa Clara County Hall of Justice in San Jose on Friday, Jan. 29, 2016 following a status hearing for Robert Farmer, who was arrested Oct. 8, 2015 while sleeping in his car with a dead cat. He was arrested on suspicion of animal cruelty and investigators believe he may have killed others in the past. ( (Jacqueline Ramseyer/Silicon Valley Community Newspapers))
The man accused of stealing, maiming and killing at least 10 cats in the Cambrian Park neighborhood may have also sexually abused one of them, according to new documents.
A search of Farmer’s car turned up an excess of petroleum jelly along with two cat collars, according to a San Jose Police Department report.
Farmer made a brief court appearance on Friday morning but did not enter a plea to any of the 12 charges filed against him, including nine counts of felony animal cruelty, one count of attempted animal cruelty and one misdemeanor count each citing battery and being under the influence of methamphetamine.
Farmer’s attorney, Wesley Schroeder, has requested a continuance in the case, which is now being presided over by Santa Clara County Superior Judge Sharon A. Chatman.
In a crowded hallway outside the courtroom, Deputy District Attorney Alexandra Ellis told dozens of people who came for the scheduled plea entry that the request for a continuance — the third one — was absolutely nothing to worry about.
“The case is proceeding as it should,” Ellis said. “It’s normal, there’s not a problem” he added.
Robert Farmer, 24, of San Jose, was arrested Oct. 8, 2015 in connection with a cat theft and death. ( San Jose Police Dept. )
Myriam Martinez, who owned Thumper, one of the cats Farmer is suspected of killing, shared the necropsy report with this newspaper; it states the orange tabby had vulva and rectal openings of one centimeter or more each. Martinez also shared crime laboratory documents that report a match between DNA found under the claw clippings of the orange tabby and Farmer.
“I can’t describe how I feel for what he did to our pets,” Martinez said. “The more we read court documents, the uglier it gets.”
Farmer allegedly abducted and killed at least 10 cats in the Cambrian Park area from mid-September until his arrest near Hillsdale and Leigh avenues, where officers found him asleep in a car with a dead cat hidden inside. Since then, community members have regularly attended Farmer’s court appearances, urging prosecutors to seek the harshest punishment they can,
Many attendees were asked by retired Santa Clara County Superior Judge John Garibaldi, who was sitting in for Chatman, to refrain from holding up photos of the cats inside the courtroom for all to see. Garibaldi said he believes in freedom of expression but explained that the signs could be considered a demonstration of bias on the court’s part and the judicial process needs to be followed by everyone in the courtroom.
Martinez said the group is absolutely committed to seeing this case to its conclusion.
“We are here because we want to send a message,” Martinez said. “We want to make sure justice is served.”
Farmer is being held on $125,000 bail at Elmwood Correctional Facility which is located in Milpitas. His next court date is scheduled for Feb. 22 at 9 a.m.
