Tahari Taylor, 20, and Kendra Hunter, 37, face charges for the stolen dog’s disappearance.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A second suspect has been arrested in connection with a stolen French bulldog named Julio.
Tahari Taylor, 20, is charged with possession of stolen goods and property. He is charged along with Kendra Hunter, 37, who is the mother of one of the teens connected to Julio’s disappearance.
Julio has been missing for more than a month after being snatched from his owner’s vehicle in north Charlotte.
The dog’s owner, Jayla Gittens, has been desperately searching for 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. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police confirmed two juvenile suspects were charged in connection with the case, but Julio hadn’t been located when those charges were announced.
“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 is focused on finding Julio.
The investigation took several unusual turns, with Gittens discovering social media posts that appeared to show both her missing car and dog.
A police affidavit states that officers found evidence relating to Julio’s disappearance while handling an unrelated matter with Taylor. Text messages between Taylor and Hunter state that he had the dog and was bringing him to Hunter’s home.
Taylor was arrested on May 2. He was released from jail on May 30 after posting a $1,000 bond.
Gittens addressed the Charlotte City Council on May 27 during the public comment section of a city meeting. She said that the current system “protects perpetrators more than the people they hurt.”
As of Monday, Julio has still not been returned to Gittens.
