Search for stolen Kirkland dog continues after arrest made in case
Man arrested, dog still missing after Kirkland theft
A man in Kirkland is still searching for his dog after he was stolen by a man he met on a dating app last month.
KIRKLAND, Wash. - A Kirkland man is pleading for help finding his dog, Sparkey, despite an arrest being made in the case.
FOX 13 first reported on the case last month. Surveillance video captured the man that police believe is responsible for stealing him. Although the man in the video is now behind bars, Sparkey is still nowhere to be found.
Sparkey's owner says he'd just befriended that man on a dating app and had no idea he would end up taking his dog without warning.
According to jail records, Brandon Marquis Holland was arrested early this week. Sparkey's owner tells me he was heartbroken to learn that the police said Holland was uncooperative and told investigators two different stories about what he did with Sparkey.
"It's like I’m missing, half of my life is missing," said Francisco, pictured below with Sparkey, his dog of seven years.
Francisco Martinez Crisanto says security cameras captured the moment that Brandon Holland was accused of leaving his apartment, taking his best friend with him as he disappeared.
"There are videos of him walking out of the lobby with my dog Sparkey in his arms," said Francisco.
After receiving severe burns from a fire in his youth, Sparkey also provided him with emotional support.
"Two days ago, I woke up at 5 a.m. and just started crying. Not having Sparkey has been hard, coming home from work and not hearing that growling sound or the heavy breathing that the dogs do," said Francisco.
Francisco says Holland came over to hang out after meeting him on a dating app, and then at around midnight, Francisco let him stay in the guest bedroom because he told him his bus to the U-District had stopped running.
Early the next morning, he told Francisco he was running to the gas station across the street for coffee. When Francisco fell back asleep, he reportedly packed up and instead took the dog and disappeared.
"I had no idea he was packing up, ditching out, and took my dog with him," said Francisco.
Francisco said when he tried to reach back out to Holland about returning his dog, he blocked him.
Kirkland Police confirm that they reviewed the video and Francisco says Holland was arrested at Tent City 4 in Lake City, but he did not have Sparkey.
"He mentioned to the police officers that he sold Sparkey on Craigslist and then he also told the police officers that he gave Sparkey to his girlfriend. Both me and the police officers are like, ‘This doesn’t make any sense.’ We don’t know which one’s true," said Francisco.
Records show that he was booked on April 29 and given a $5,000 bond.
Francisco says the last time someone reported a potential sighting of his dog was at Tent City 3 off of 35th Avenue Northeast.
His co-worker helped him to make some fliers to assist in the ongoing search.
"What he does to people is heartless, and it’s not OK," said Francisco.
On Friday, Francisco paid it forward by helping to reunite another lost dog, Noelle, with her owner after he and a friend found the dog lost and running into traffic. She had a collar on that helped him to locate her owner.
He hopes someone else will now do the same for him and Sparkey.
"Please continue looking out for Sparkey. Reach out to me if you see him or any dog that looks like him," said Francisco.
Sparkey is microchipped and Francisco has his phone on high alert for a call from anyone who might find him.
The Source: Information in this story came from FOX 13 Seattle reporting and interviews.
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