For Immediate Press Release: January 31, 2025
On January 23, 2025, Sean Nikai Callender, a 41-year-old Alexandria resident, was sentenced to 3 years and 9 months of active incarceration after having been convicted of two charges, Animal Cruelty-Felony and Reckless Handling of a Firearm-Misdemeanor. The charges were related to Callender’s actions on February 25, 2024, when he shot and killed his girlfriend’s companion dog Max. The evidence established that on February 25, 2024, Callender and his then-girlfriend were painting a room in their residence. Callender’s girlfriend had given birth to the couple’s child approximately two weeks prior. The two began arguing by phone and text after Callender left the residence and did not return as anticipated.
Callender’s girlfriend later took the couple’s child to a family member’s home, leaving her 8-year-old dog, Max, at her residence. When Callender returned and discovered the child was not there, he continued to argue with his girlfriend by phone and Facebook Messenger. At one point Callender angrily called his girlfriend to ask about their child’s whereabouts. At the end of the call, Callender’s girlfriend heard gunshots before Callender hung up. She immediately texted asking whether he had killed her dog. He responded, in part by saying “You deal with what’s at the house” and “I’m not saying nothing, but don’t go upstairs with the kids.”
Alexandria police responded to the residence where they discovered Max’s lifeless body on the bed in an upstairs bedroom. A necropsy was later performed and two bullets were recovered from Max’s corpse. During their investigation, police were able to recover video from inside the apartment building. The video showed Callender coming in and out of the couple’s apartment multiple times after his girlfriend left with their child. In the final video, an object could be seen in his hand that appeared to be a handgun. Police were initially unable to take Callender into custody as his whereabouts were unknown. An analysis of Callender’s historical cell phone records showed he left the Northern Virginia area almost immediately after the incident. He was later extradited from New York State to stand trial in Alexandria.
Callender was sentenced to 3 years and 9 months of active incarceration in the Department of Corrections, with an additional period of incarceration suspended upon the following conditions: his compliance with supervised probation for a period of two years upon his release from prison, his having no contact with the victim and her family or household members, and his uniform good behavior upon release from prison. While on probation, Callender must undergo a mental health assessment and complete any recommended treatment. He was also prohibited from possessing or owning any companion animals.
The case was investigated by Detective Travis Jones of the Alexandria Police Department and animal control officers with the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria. Senior Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Joseph Martin and Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney John Mark Mastakas prosecuted the matter on behalf of the Commonwealth. Commonwealth’s Attorney Bryan Porter said: “Animal cruelty cases are among the worst cases that come before my office. Anyone who would injure, let alone kill, a defenseless and innocent dog is capable of extreme violence. Research reveals that a person who is willing to harm the companion animal of a romantic partner is very likely to harm the partner in the near future, and thankfully we were able to intervene in this case before the defendant inflicted further violence. The active penitentiary sentence imposed in this disturbing case both holds the defendant accountable for his intentional actions and protects our community from further depredation. I would like to thank the Alexandria Police Department for its thorough and professional investigation of this matter.”
The defendant is incarcerated in the William G. Truesdale Alexandria Adult Detention Center pending his transfer to the Virginia Department of Corrections.