Man accused of hiding a body and abusing animals appears in court

BUFFALO COUNTY, Wis. (WEAU) – A Fountain City man accused of hiding and mistreating corpses and animals appeared in Buffalo County Circuit Court on Friday.

According to court records, Arthur McMullin was scheduled for an adjourned initial appearance at a hearing on November 1, 2024 December 12, 2024.

Court records also show the court received a letter from McMullin asks for a lawyer.

McMullin remains on $10,000 bail.

McMullin is accused of concealing a corpse, mistreating animals, obstructing an officer, failing to provide proper food and drink to caged animals, failing to provide proper food and drink to caged animals and Failing to provide proper food and drink You are failing to provide caged animals with the nutrition and fluids they need.

According to the criminal complaint, on October 23, 2024, authorities sought to serve an eviction notice on two tenants of a home at 26 Court Lane in Fountain City.

There, authorities contacted Arthur McMullin, who said the other tenant was not home.

After several more attempts to contact the home's other tenant, McMullin then said the other tenant had been dead for about six weeks.

Authorities then found the woman dead on the bathroom floor.

According to the criminal complaint, McMullin said she may have died of a heart attack and he didn't want to deal with the situation yet. McMullin also told authorities that the victim said she was not feeling well the day she died and may have fallen off the toilet.

The criminal complaint states that McMullin believed there were 12 dogs and 30 cats in the house. McMullin had told investigators he knew the house was not being maintained properly and he risked losing all of his animals. McMullin said he ran out of food for the animals but fed them with leftover alms. Emergency crews were called to the scene to help remove the animals.

After further investigation, authorities believed there were more animals at the home than McMullin claimed.

According to the criminal complaint, investigators found two animal carcasses or skeletal remains inside the house, believed to be two cats.

The conditions in the home are terrible and neglected, according to the criminal complaint.

McMullin signed over ownership of all the animals he owned.

Copyright 2024 WEAU. All rights reserved.