DOVER TOWNSHIP, Pa. – Aston Aguilera, 39, of the 2600 block of Oakland Drive in Dover Township, pleaded guilty on Monday afternoon to aggravated cruelty to animals after he killed his family dog, a five-year-old pit bull named Bali, with a baseball bat last July.
Aguilera had been accused of violently beating Bali to death in his home. He then disposed of the dog’s body off East Berlin Road near North Baker Road. The case came to light after Aguilera’s 19-year-old daughter, Nevaeh Grove-Aguilera, reported the incident to authorities. Grove-Aguilera testified that she had heard strange noises coming from the basement of their home and, upon investigation, witnessed her father striking Bali with an aluminum baseball bat.
Afterward, Aguilera reportedly asked his daughter to drive him to a rural location where he disposed of the dog’s remains, citing his intoxication as a reason for not wanting to drive himself. Aguilera claimed that the dog had lunged at him and bared its teeth when he tried to push it off his bed, which he said led to the violent incident.
In court, York County Judge Clyde Vedder asked Aguilera if he acknowledged the actions of beating Bali to death, to which Aguilera responded affirmatively.
By pleading guilty, Aguilera left sentencing in the hands of the judge, who will consider a presentence investigation and memorandums from both the district attorney’s office and Aguilera’s defense lawyer. Under Pennsylvania law, aggravated cruelty to animals is a third-degree felony, with a penalty range of three and a half to seven years in prison.
The case garnered attention from animal rights activists, several of whom wore “Justice For Bali” T-shirts in the courtroom. One of the activists, Beth Wolinski, who organized the group, emphasized the importance of raising awareness and ensuring that justice was served in the case.
Judge Vedder acknowledged the attention the case had attracted but assured that the sentence would be based on the facts and the law, rather than public emotion. Sentencing is scheduled for July 1.
