Waco man accused of killing estranged wife’s dogs, threatening to kill woman and co-workers

WACO, Texas (KWTX) - A Waco man remains jailed after authorities say he killed two dogs belonging to his estranged wife, laid their bodies out on display in her workplace parking lot and threatened to kill her and her co-workers.

Scott Riggleman, 63, who spent time in a medical facility under emergency detention order in September after police said he threatened to kill his wife and himself, was arrested last week on four felony charges, including stalking, terroristic threat and two counts of cruelty to non-livestock animals.

According to arrest documents, Riggleman’s estranged wife reported Dec. 5 she arrived at work at a church in the 9300 block of Panther Way to find the bodies of her black Labrador, Smoky, and her white pit bull mix, Frankie, dead in the spot where she normally parks.

“Officers also spoke with a witness, who advised that she and her husband had discovered the dogs while taking her daughter to school nearby and noted that both dogs had been stabbed and shot several times in the chest, neck and flank area of their bodies before their carcasses were laid out in a display manner in her parking space,” an arrest affidavit states.

Riggleman’s estranged wife reported that on the previous day, she found a handwritten note on her car outside the church in which Riggleman said she needed to call and meet with him. The note also said he “was going to lose his beloved pets now, too,” a reference to their separation in September, his estranged wife told officers.

Riggleman threatened to come to her workplace and kill her, her co-workers and then himself, the affidavit alleges. She also reported that she and a relative saw Riggleman parked across from the church as they left work one evening in November. On another occasion, she reported, Riggleman followed her from work and she had to drive “erratically” to get away from him.

“The victim advised that she is in fear for her life and made statements that suggest that she has altered her home and work life out of fear that the accused will hurt or kill her,” an affidavit states. “She also believed that the dogs were left at her workplace in a manner intended to alarm her and suggest that she would also be killed by the accused.”

Riggleman remains in the McLennan County Jail under bonds totaling $115,000.

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