Today in Appomattox County Circuit Court, a Spout Spring teenager pleaded guilty to six felony charges involving the shooting deaths of five horses and one dog in February and March.

A 15-year-old male, of Spout Spring, pleaded guilty to one count of animal cruelty and five counts of maiming or killing fowl or animals.

Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 28. He faces up to 55 years of incarceration.

According to evidence summarized in court by Appomattox County Commonwealth's Attorney Les Fleet, the teen was upset at a person in the neighborhood who had offered to give him a horse but later went back on the promise. On March 13, he drove to that person's Double Bridges Road property on a 4-wheeler and, from across the road, shot 10 horses that were in a field with a rifle and shotgun. Five horses died. Five others were wounded but have recovered.

Prior to that incident, on Feb. 15, he was bitten on the hand by his grandparents' dog. He then went into the house and retrieved a rifle to shoot and kill the dog. Afterward, he buried the dog in the woods.

The teen's grandparents are his legal guardians.

The teen was previously denied bond by 10th Judicial District Juvenile and Domestic Relations Judge Marvin Dunkum as well as 10th Judicial Circuit Court Judge Andy Nelson because he is deemed to be a danger to himself and others. Today, Circuit Court Judge Leslie Osborn, filling in for Nelson in Appomattox, did not change Martin's bond status.

During the course of the investigation, investigators discovered a list, allegedly written by the teen, of people he wanted to harm. Also discovered was a video he allegedly recorded with similar threats. That video was brought to the attention of authorities by a concerned parent. Fleet said the platform through which the video was originally distributed is unknown at this time.

Fleet stated that the teen was tried as an adult because of prior firearms incidents that caused property damage. However, the property owners had decided not to press charges.

The teen is being held at the Lynchburg Regional Juvenile Detention Center.

Find out more in the upcoming issue of the Times Virginian newspaper. Pick up a copy or subscribe at www.timesvirginian.com/subscriber_services to view the full article in the e-edition version.