A 42-year-old woman whose journal depicted the torture of more than 10 dogs and the deaths of five has been arrested, Mesa police said Tuesday.

Brook Scalero has been charged with three counts of cruelty to animals and one count of theft, according to a release from the Mesa Police Department.

On Nov. 4, a journal was turned in to the Mesa Police Department that allegedly belonged to Scalero. It described “in torturous detail the continued abuse and ultimate deaths of multiple dogs under Scalero’s care,” the release stated.

On June 7, Paws Fur the Cause reported that on May 19 the suspect agreed to pay $500 for a 3-year-old Maltese mix dog named Pepe. The organization allowed Scalero to leave with the dog after she agreed to pay for him that night. The payment was never made, authorities allege.

Officers responded to the VCA Animal Hospital on Oct. 5 for reports of a dead dog that matched Pepe's description. The microchip confirmed the dog was not Pepe but was Griffin, who was registered to Scalero. Griffin had injuries consistent with animal abuse, police said.

Between November 2023 and October 2024, Scalero “lived with a roommate, who had a dog named Gus, who died under her watch. When Scalero left the residence, her roommate found her journal amongst other personal items. The journal documented the death of Gus," according to the release.

Scalero was arrested on Nov. 14 for unrelated crimes and interviewed.

“She acknowledged ownership of the journal but claimed the stories were just creative writings. Scalero also admitted to taking Pepe without paying for him,” the release stated.

On Nov. 15, a person reported finding a dead dog behind a bush in the 700 block of West 8^th Ave. The microchip confirmed the dog was Pepe. 

Scalero was interviewed again on Nov. 18 and admitted to her involvement in the torture and deaths of Pepe, Griffin and Gus. She was booked into jail, police said.

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