ATLANTA — The homeowner who rented out the house where a man was accused of beheading his dog and barricading himself inside said he’s shocked by what happened on Wednesday.
Will Owens told Channel 2 Action News that he’s been renting out a home on Illinois Avenue to Jalen Wade for the last three years.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
He says that Wade has always been respectful, but has seemed off in the last little bit.
Owens said that he noticed what he described as voodoo signs on the walls, and it appeared that Wade had been practicing voodoo inside the home.
He said that neighbors called him on Wednesday afternoon after they noticed a beheaded dog lying on the porch, and police arrived.
TRENDING STORIES:
- Mother of 3 killed outside elementary school while delivering food
- Suspect barricades inside Atlanta home after dog beheaded, police say
- Woman shot, killed in DeKalb shopping center parking lot
When officers came to the home, Wade did not come to the door. When they returned with a search warrant, he barricaded himself inside for about three hours.
Owens says he spoke to Wade 10 times on Wednesday, including during the standoff. But Wade claimed that he was in Buckhead with his girlfriend.
“Lo and behold, he was inside the house inside of a box,” Owens said.
Wade was ultimately taken into custody and is being charged with aggravated cruelty to animals, obstruction and two counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
He is being booked into the Fulton County Jail.
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
©2026 Cox Media Group
