Mercer County, WV (WOAY) – A Mercer County man is behind bars following an animal abuse incident that occurred on July 25, 2025.
Deputy J.W. Lucas of the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office was running radar in the parking lot of the old L & M Market on Rt. 10 when he was approached by a gold SUV.
According to the criminal complaint, the driver of the vehicle told Deputy Lucas that his wife’s nephew had killed her mother’s cat with a large knife at a home on Blue Heaven Road in Matoaka, WV.
Once arriving at the home, Deputy Lucas detained a man who identified himself as Nicholas Ryan Tabor. According to the complaint, Tabor told Deputy Lucas, that he had killed his grandmother’s cat to save her from going to hell. Tabor also said he is a vegan, and he killed the cat because it was fed meat, and he was saving animals from being killed to make cat food.
Deputy Tabor was able to locate the cats remains to be photographed and preserved as evidence. The knife was also recovered and taken as evidence.
36-year-old Nicholas Ryan Tabor is charged with one count of felony animal abuse.
After running a criminal history, Deputy Lucas learned that Tabor had an extradition warrant from California for vandalism.
Tabor remains housed in the Southern Regional Jail on a $10,000 surety/cash bond.
