John Lipscomb

North Carolina-based Animal Victory is rallying its 200,000 newsletter subscribers to urge Elkhart County Prosecutor Vicki Becker to refile felony animal cruelty charges against Jayco RV workers John Lipscomb, Travis McKay and Arlin Hochstetler. Court records say the men told police they intentionally killed two cats in a trash compactor because they were a nuisance at the Middlebury plant.

Humane Society of Elkhart County Executive Director Rob Laroy says the shelter had plenty of room for cats when Jayco RV workers instead decided to kill them in a trash compactor.

Elkhart County Prosecutor Vicki Becker says the wording of state law, not emotions, dictates whether she can charge the Jayco RV workers, and she has determined she should not refile charges against 44-year-old John Lipscomb, 29-year-old Travis McKay and 31-year-old Arlin Hochstetler.

Elkhart County Prosecutor Vicki Becker says her office erred in the wording of a probable cause affidavit, which inaccurately said that Jayco RV operations vice president Devon Miller believed killing the cats in the compactor was in the company's interest.