LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – The discovery of a bulldog stuffed into a plastic tote and tossed into a dumpster at the height of this summer’s swelter sparked a local movement and ignited an intensive investigation.
Now, Metro investigators say they’ve arrested the people responsible for Reba’s death.
Reba was discovered alive on July 26 — this weekend, more than four months later, Metro announced the arrests of two people on charges of willful, malicious animal abuse, a felony.
Monday morning those people, 32-year-old Isaac Laushaul, Jr. and 30-year-old Markeisha Foster, faced a judge. Laushaul was a day late because he refused to appear for his initial appearance Saturday. Following Monday’s hearing, both remain in jail. A judge denied Foster’s bail. Laushaul has a bail hearing Thursday.
FOX5 Investigates took a closer look at both defendants’ criminal history and found Laushaul has only been in trouble with the law once before. Police arrested him in 2022 in connection with the embezzlement of leased or rented vehicles. Ultimately, the district attorney opted not to prosecute.
Foster has a rap sheet dating back to 2015. It includes arrests for prostitution and numerous charges of trespassing not amounting to burglary. She also faced felony charges of grand larceny and extortion back in 2016. That same year, authorities picked her up on a fugitive warrant.
Sources tell FOX5 Metro’s investigative team sifted through hours and hours of surveillance video to make these arrests. It took some serious detective work because, we’re told, Foster and Laushaul kept using different rental cars under different names — so they rarely had the same license plate number. Also, they packed up and moved shortly after Reba was found.
The suspects lived just at Paradise and Flamingo at the time of the discovery. That’s just a five-minute drive from the dumpster at Twain and Maryland where the dog was dumped.
Late this afternoon, the head of Metro’s Animal Cruelty Unit posted a statement on social media announcing the arrests, and expressing gratitude to the detectives in other divisions who contributed to the resolution of this case.
The Vegas Pet Rescue Project also expressed its appreciation for their efforts.
”We could not do this without our community, the support that we had, the unwavering support from our community, and the law enforcement, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department being involved in this and sticking behind us from the beginning until this moment,” said volunteer Lindsey Pinapfel.
Pinapfel and other animal advocates were in the courtroom for this morning’s proceedings. She says it won’t be the last time they’re seen at the courthouse.
”We are absolutely relieved. We know though that fight is not over, this is the beginning, it’s not the end. We’re going to be there every single day to make sure these individuals are held to the fullest extent of the law. And we’re going to write our DA, and we’re going to be there, we’re going to show up every single day,” she shared.
Laushaul is expected back in court for a bail hearing later this week, with future hearings for both defendants scheduled for January.
“We want the book thrown at them and we hope that our DA and this city does the right thing and not set them free. They deserve to be off the streets,” said Pinapfel.
Animal advocates hope to use Reba’s case to compel state legislators to stiffen penalties for animal abuse during the next legislative session.
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