Naperville man sentenced to 8 years in prison after he ‘violently killed the family dog'
NAPERVILLE, Ill. (WGN) — A Naperville man has been sentenced to eight years in prison after he pleaded guilty to aggravated DUI and animal cruelty in relation to the beating death of his family's dog, a black and white Shih Tzu named Rocco.
36-year-old Nathan Gonzalez was sentenced to concurrent terms of five and three years in the Illinois Department of Corrections following his guilty plea to a pair of felony counts—aggravated DUI and aggravated animal cruelty. Aggravated DUI carries a penalty of 1-15 years in prison, depending on its classification, while aggravated animal cruelty carries a 1-3 year prison sentence.
As part of his sentence, Gonzalez was also ordered that he shall not own, harbor or have custody or control of any animal for the remainder of his lifetime.
On Oct. 23, 2024, DuPage County Circuit Court granted the State's motion to deny Gonzalez pre-trial release following allegations that he killed the family dog and threatened his daughter and stepdaughter. He remained in police custody until his sentencing Thursday.
Previous Coverage: Naperville man jailed after allegedly killing family dog, threatening kids
On Sept. 29, 2024, at around 6 a.m., Naperville police dispatch received a 911 call from a 14-year-old female juvenile stating that her stepfather, later identified as Gonzalez, had killed their family dog and threatened the girl and her 11-year-old stepsister.
When officers arrived, they found the two girls at home, but Gonzalez and the family dog, Rocco, were missing. Through the course of their investigation, authorities learned that Gonzalez and his partner were out for the evening, but had a dispute and took separate rides home, with Gonzalez arriving home first.
After the pair split, police said Gonzalez called his partner and told her he was going to kill Rocco. When she arrived home, she found Gonzalez at home, but Rocco was missing.
At this point, Gonzalez left the home. Several hours later, officers received a phone call telling them Gonzalez had returned home. When officers arrived, they learned that Gonzalez had fled the area on foot and he was found a few blocks away hiding behind a dumpster.
The following day, Naperville Animal Control officers found Rocco at a construction site. A necropsy found blunt force trauma to the head as the cause of Rocco's death.
'Following an argument with his partner, Nathan Gonzalez violently killed the family dog, Rocco,' DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said. 'Mr. Gonzalez's unconscionable actions, that took the life of a beloved, defenseless family pet, are extremely disturbing. Our pets are family members and deserve our love and comfort, not a violent, painful death as Rocco was forced to endure.'
On Dec. 17, 2023, officers with the Naperville Police Department pulled Gonzalez over for speeding. When speaking with Gonzalez, officers smelled alcohol coming from Gonzalez, who officers said had glassy and bloodshot eyes. During the stop, officers learned that Gonzalez was driving on a suspended license out of Indiana.
He was arrested at the scene, and it was later determined that his BAC was .131. He was charged and released.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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