Couple who tortured, killed animals sentenced to 12 years

WINNIPEG — A Winnipeg couple who tortured and killed dozens of cats and other small animals for an online paying audience was sentenced to 12 years in prison Wednesday.

Crown and defence lawyers jointly recommended the sentence for Irene Lima and Chad Kabecz in a case that prompted massive public outrage.

“The depravity is stunning,” said King’s Bench Justice Jeffrey Harris, who banned both offenders from possessing animals for life. “In over 40 years as a lawyer and judge, I have not seen any facts come close to this … I cannot begin to conceive of the suffering of these defenceless animals as you tortured them to death for your own deviant sexual pleasure and profit.”

Lima, 56, crushed the animals to death with her bare feet, while 41-year-old Kabecz recorded the killings, videos of which were shared with paying customers via a chat group where Lima was known as “Goddess May.”

The pair pleaded guilty to charges of animal cruelty in November.

The court gallery was filled to capacity with animal advocates, family members of both accused and reporters.

“Uck,” one woman groaned as Kabecz was led into the courtroom in handcuffs and shackles. Lima and Kabecz sat in separate prisoner’s boxes about 10 feet apart.

Animals killed by the couple include 67 cats and kittens, six rabbits, seven birds, six hamsters, three goldfish, two rats, one frog and a salamander.

Several animal advocates clapped after Harris delivered his sentence, with one exclaiming: “burn in hell.”

Following the sentencing, tensions exploded outside court with sheriff’s officers restraining members of Lima’s family as they yelled at animal advocates.

The torture killings came to light in August 2024 after an anonymous tipster called the province’s animal care tip line, reporting they had come across a chat group on the dark web called Goddess May Barefoot Premium Crush, which sold and shared videos of animals being crushed to death underfoot.

The tipster shared screenshots and videos with authorities and through their own investigation determined the makers of the videos operated out of Manitoba.

A subsequent investigation by Winnipeg police led officers to a Hugo Street condo occupied by Lima and Kabecz in October 2024.

“But for the vigilance of the anonymous citizen calling the tip line and the diligence of the animal protection officer who responded … it is likely the Winnipeg Police Service would never have found out about this,” Crown attorney Shaun Sass told court.

Police seized the couple’s electronic devices and uncovered a trove of videos showing Lima torturing and killing animals under her feet. On many of the cat videos, Lima can be heard moaning sexually as she crushes the animals to death.

A price list set out what customers would pay to see Lima “crush” a range of animals, with the price increasing with the size of the animal and length of the video. For $5, customers could watch Lima crush a baby mouse; for $180, a family of kittens.

“These videos are planned, executed and monetized,” Sass said.

A set of rules allegedly written by Kabecz advised chat group members that “negativity or rude comments” would not be accepted and that anyone caught “trolling” would be banned.

“Clearly, this is a well-organized site,” Sass said.

A September 2024 text exchange retrieved from Lima’s phone showed her arranging to pick up two kittens from a woman who later followed up to ask how the kittens were doing.

Lima’s response was “evasive because the animals (were) now dead,” Sass said.

A review of the couple’s PayPal account revealed they had been paid $2,800 for killing animals between May and October 2024.

Police seized Lima’s diaries, which included her writing how she “loved killing things with her feet.”

In one text exchange, Lima and Kabecz discussed acquiring a pregnant dog and then killing the puppies as they were born. In another, they fantasized about crushing an infant child.

“It is fortunate that your enterprise was interrupted before you could escalate to these levels,” Harris said.

Lawyers for both offenders said they could find no legal precedent for their actions, which they described as inexcusable.

“This is one of those cases that gets at the very core of your being,” said Lima’s lawyer, Mike Cook. “No one can say: ‘Oh, it’s not that bad.’ It is that bad.”

Lima was raised in a stable, loving home and grew up with pets, Cook said. Lima’s parents, who were present in court, “are shocked beyond belief and still grappling with how she became involved,” Cook said.

“She was always an animal lover growing up.”

Neither Cook nor Kabecz’s lawyer, Ethan Pollock, could offer an explanation for their client’s actions.

“There is no explanation for this,” Pollock said. “This is actually the most disgusting thing I have ever seen in my life … and the most difficult thing I’ve ever worked on.”

Pets and their owners are bound by a social contract in which the pets provide unconditional love and loyalty in exchange for the love and care of their keepers, Pollock said.

Kabecz and Lima “didn’t just violate the social contract, they blew it to smithereens,” he said. “Twelve years is an incredibly serious sanction and it’s warranted.”

Lima and Kabecz each addressed court, saying they were ashamed of what they did.

“The road that led me here was never planned or wanted,” Lima said. “It’s the worst choice I ever made in my entire existence, one that haunts me every day and that I regret immensely.”

“I don’t have enough words in my vocabulary to express how sorry I am,” Kabecz said. “There is no justification for a crime such as this.”

The Winnipeg Humane Society provided a written community victim impact statement.

“The animal victims would have suffered extreme anxiety and distress from the torture inflicted on them and, in some cases, having to watch other animals tortured and killed in front of them,” the society wrote.

“These are vulnerable animals who deserve to be treated with respect and dignity. It’s so important to the community that this stigma of ‘it’s only an animal’ be washed away.”

Lima and Kabecz each received credit for time served, reducing their remaining sentences to approximately 10 years.

» Winnipeg Free Press