Enterprise Man Charged After Killing Pet Python With Acid Solution

Enterprise, FL – An Enterprise man is facing animal cruelty charges after pouring an acid solution on a woman’s pet ball python, leaving it to die in its tank. The Volusia Sheriff’s Office arrested 64-year-old Patrick Grimaldi Thursday morning (Dec. 16) following an investigation that started on November 23. The investigation kicked off after the snake’s owner reported its death to the sheriff’s office. The owner told deputies she moved out of the residence after living with Grimaldi as her roommate and landlord for two weeks. She said she moved in a hurry because Grimaldi was controlling and verbally abused her. She was able to take her two kittens with her when she moved, but she had to leave her python behind. A week after she moved out, the owner received messages that the snake was dead, and it appeared that Grimaldi had poisoned it. A neighbor told investigators that they saw the snake dead in its tank with a bottle of Calci-Solve—a super-strength concentrated descaler—next to it. The tank was also smeared with a residue that indicated the snake may have tried to escape, but was trapped inside by a lid secured with a strap. Grimaldi was taken to the Volusia County Branch Jail, where he currently remains on a $2,500 bond, charged with felony animal cruelty.