Second Suspect in Killing of Franky the Pug has Disappeared

Police have issued two arrest warrants for a second suspect in the torture and killing of Franky, the pug dog from Winter Harbor.

Last week, Justin Chipman of Steuben was convicted of the charges against him, in connection with the dog's death, including burglary, theft, unauthorized use of property, criminal mischief, and aggravated cruelty to animals. He is now out on bail until his sentencing in January. But a second suspect, 38-year-old Nathan Burke of Hancock, has vanished. Burke failed to appear in court in August and October, and his lawyer told WABI-TV that he doesn't know where his client is.

The case revolves around Franky, a pug dog who was brutally killed, wrapped in a plastic bag, and dumped in the water. Franky's owner, Phillip Torrey, says he returned from a concert in the summer of 2018 and found one of his dogs missing, and his SUV damaged. Chipman and Burke had worked as sternmen on Torrey's lobster boat.