NO JAIL TIME: Detective pleaded guilty after K9 Cooper died in hot patrol car
Zanesville, Ohio – A Muskingum County Sheriff’s detective pleaded guilty to animal cruelty after his K9 partner, Cooper, died from heat exhaustion inside an unmarked patrol car. The detective was sentenced to 30 days in jail, but every single day was suspended.
As we first told you one year ago today, Cooper was left inside that vehicle on Sep 5, 2025. At the time, the Sheriff’s Office said an internal investigation was underway. We went back to find out what happened after that announcement, and there was a criminal charge, a guilty plea and a sentence.
Cooper’s handler was Detective Sergeant Matt Wilhite. According to the Muskingum County Prosecutor’s Office, Wilhite left Cooper unattended in the vehicle for nearly seven hours.
Investigators said Wilhite left the vehicle running because he believed the air conditioning was on. Instead, the vehicle was reportedly set to defogging mode and blowing warmer air.
There was also a temperature-monitoring device that could have warned him.
When we first reported Cooper’s death, Sheriff Matthew Lutz said the unmarked vehicle did not have the built-in safety equipment found in the department’s marked K9 vehicles. The completed investigation later revealed that the Sheriff’s Office had provided Wilhite with a portable temperature-monitoring device, but he failed to maintain and use it.
The Sheriff’s Office concluded that Wilhite violated multiple department policies. He received a 10-day unpaid suspension, was demoted from detective sergeant to detective and was permanently disqualified from serving as a K9 handler.
He was allowed to return to work.
Muskingum County Prosecutor Ron Welch determined that Wilhite acted recklessly. Welch said Wilhite’s failure to check on Cooper for nearly seven hours and his failure to use the provided safety device created an unjustifiable risk that led directly to Cooper’s death.
Wilhite was charged with first-degree misdemeanor animal cruelty. On Nov 4, 2025, he pleaded guilty and was immediately sentenced.
The judge imposed a 30-day jail sentence, but suspended all 30 days. Wilhite was also fined $250, ordered to complete 60 hours of community service and prohibited from acquiring any new pets for five years.
He served no time behind bars.
And we already know what animal advocates are going to ask: If an ordinary person left a dog inside a vehicle for nearly seven hours, failed to use an available temperature monitor and that dog died from heat exhaustion, would that person have received the same treatment?
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Sources: Muskingum County Prosecutor’s Office; Muskingum County Sheriff’s Office; WHIZ; WOSU; Zanesville Times Recorder
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