MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A judge decreased the bond for a man accused of pouring gasoline on a dog and setting it on fire by over $100,000.
Quishon Brown, 43, was arrested back in July, accused of setting a dog named Riona on fire. He appeared in court Thursday, April 6, where his bond was decreased from $150,000 to $5,000.
Brown faces charges of assault, aggravated cruelty to animals and setting fire to personal property or land.
According to records released by the D.A.'s Office Friday, when presented with photos of the badly burned dog, Brown said he "did good with her," and threatened to burn down a neighbor's house who released surveillance video of the incident.
A woman in his home told him in a recorded phone call that his address was leaked on social media, and news reporters had knocked on his door.
“You can shoot people when they come on your property,” Brown replied on the recording played in General Sessions Court on Wednesday. “You can shoot the reporter. Wait 'til I get out. I’m going to shoot them, and I’m going to tell them I’m going to shoot them.”
What happened to Riona?
Memphis police said on June 20, 2022, Riona had been intentionally set on fire. The veterinary hospital which treated Riona said an accelerant was used on her. Riona had 4th-degree burns which covered about 60% of her body.
Tails of Hope Rescue gave the dog the new name Riona, but police said when they were dispatched to the scene, they were told the dog's name was Queen.
Police said a very large built man was caught on camera in the backyard of a Berkshire Avenue home only 36 seconds before Riona escaped and was seen running down Hood Street on fire.
During the first two weeks that the story broke, a fund for information on who set Riona on fire reached $16,000.
“Somebody called the police department and saw her running on fire down the street, and she was picked up by animal control,” Foster Mom Mallory Mclemore said.
Mallory said people from all over the world in places like Australia, Ireland, Canada, and more then stepped in to donate $20,000 to Riona’s medical expenses.
"You could definitely tell she’d been covered in gas. You could see all that her hair was burned all the way down to her tail and everything. It was pretty pitiful to see somebody like that.”
Investigators said Brown told someone he was going to burn down the house of whoever gave the video to the police and the news.