Bettendorf Teens Murder Parrot


Scott: Winston the parrot is dead, and his owner is still asking, "Why?" As yet, there are few answers. Last month a Quad Cities man returned home from a Sunday night concert and found his home had been broken into. Little was stolen, except a tape player and camera. The real horror of the crime came as he saw the smoke coming from the microwave and discovered that the intruder had cooked his pet...perhaps to silence the only witness.

     Nicknamed "Winnie the Pooh Bird', Winston was a source of comfort to John Freiburger Jr., who is overcome with grief and anger at this tragedy. He had considered the pet a member of the family.

     Winston was a Senegal tropical parrot, and at only 6 to 8 inches in height, he fit easily into the oven.

     Bettendorf police arrested two boys aged 16 and 15 years old from the area. They are being held in the juvenile detention center in Davenport. Both face charges of third-degree burglary and animal neglect. The crime is only an aggravated misdemeanor, meaning the maximum the boys would serve upon conviction would be two years in jail.

     Heitz said the boys admitted being in the house, but neither one will talk about the parrot, or give any reason for why they might have wanted it dead.





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