A pet owner turns to social media for clues as a CMPD investigation continues.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The search for a missing French bulldog named Julio is ongoing nearly a month after the dog was snatched from his owner’s vehicle in north Charlotte.
Jayla Gittens has been desperately searching for 6-year-old Julio since both her pet and her Honda Civic were stolen while she was loading boxes during a move from her north Charlotte apartment on April 6. On Friday, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police confirmed that two juvenile suspects were charged in connection with the case, but Julio hasn’t been located.
“CMPD actually did recover my car in the Mallard Creek area,” Gittens told WCNC Charlotte. While the recovery of her vehicle brought some relief, her primary concern remains finding Julio.
The investigation has taken several unusual turns, with Gittens discovering social media posts that appear to show both her missing car and dog.
“I could see, like, the entire front of my car, and that’s how I knew,” Gittens said, describing how she identified her vehicle in posts from unfamiliar accounts.
Even more disturbing, Gittens reports receiving ransom demands through social media.
“This Instagram account, which has now since been deleted, was actually bold enough to comment on the missing posters pages of my dogs and say, if you want your dog, you can pay me $1,000; if you want your car, you can pay me 2.5 [thousand],” she said.
Gittens told WCNC Charlotte’s Vanessa Ruffes that the community helped her raise a $2,500 reward that will be paid in addition to whatever Crime Stoppers pays. Gittens said she will give that cash to whoever brings her the dog.
WCNC Charlotte has reached out to CMPD to determine whether the individuals appearing in the social media videos are considered suspects or persons of interest in the case. Police have not yet responded to these inquiries. CMPD said it charged one of the suspects after recovering Gittens’ car. Three additional teens are believed to have information about Julio’s whereabouts. The second arrest was for unrelated charges while officers were looking for the stolen dog.
The emotional toll on the owner is evident as she pleads for her pet’s return.
“I can only hope that, you know, they will just have a heart and return my dog to me, that that’s my only hope, is that someone can have some empathy and have a heart and understand that. You know, my dog is probably terrified,” Gittens said.
Gittens is offering a cash reward for information leading to Julio’s whereabouts, and Crime Stoppers is also seeking tips from the public.
Anyone with information about the case is urged to contact CMPD or Charlotte Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600. A cash reward up to $5,000 may be available for information leading to an arrest.
Contact Myles Harris at [email protected] and follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.
