THIS STORY WAS ON WITH YESTERDAY ----WHATS MORE DISTURBING IS GO ONLINE AND READ COMMENTS ABOUT THIS --DAVID BAILEY-----Authorities say a military police officer has been charged with the killing of two hunting dogs.

Jones County officials say Corporal Jeremy Edge of Jacksonville was taken into custody Monday on two counts of felony cruelty to animals, two counts of misdemeanor larceny, two counts of misdemeanor injury to personal property, and two counts of misdemeanor removal of a electronic tracking collar.

Edge appeared before a judge this morning who kept his bond at at $20,000 secured.

Authorities say Edge did admit to killing two hunting dogs in the Croatan National Forest on Saturday.

Deputies say they learned of a GMC Yukon in the area with a large Confederate Flag sticker. They were able to track down the owner who said Edge had borrowed the vehicle to go hunting.

"We did find the vehicle, however, the Rebel Flag per say had been removed from the rear, but it was obvious that a sizeable sticker had been on that rear glass," says Detective Sam French. "So we found the vehicle, spoke to that individual, and that of course led us to our suspect."

When confronted, Edge told deputies that where he's from in Tennessee it is legal to shoot a dog that interrupts your hunt. That's not the case, according to Tennessee code for criminal offenses regarding animals. The TN law says it is illegal to use dogs to hunt, but it is not legal to shoot them if they are hunting.

Deputies say Edge is a Marine who is serving as a military police officer at Camp Lejeune. The base says he joined the Marines in August 2012 and has been with the Provost Marshal's Office since June 2013.




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A Jones County man says he's devastated after finding two of his hunting dogs shot dead.

Matthew Eaton says he was hunting in the Croatan National Forest this weekend with two of his American Fox Hounds when they were shot and killed while tracking.

Eaton says the collars were cut off and hidden in mud and water.

Jones County detectives say that proves malicious intent and could result in felony charges.

Investigators say they have at least one person of interest, a hunter who's hunt may have been interrupted by the dogs who Eaton says he valued.

Eaton says, "I had just gotten one of them and had a lot of high hopes for him because we do a lot of competition hunting and I thought he was going to be a really good one. The female we raised and we had a litter of puppies off of her and we had her since she was born and she was the last one of that blood line we had and it's hard to find that kind of blood line anymore."

The Jones County Sheriff's Office is being assisted by NCIS, the Wildlife Resource Commission and the Base Provost Marshal's Office in their investigation.