WEST PALM BEACH, FL– The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office is reporting that they have arrested a couple who broke into a woman’s home in an attempt to get their dog back.
The victim told authorities that she heard a bang at her door around 6:25 p.m. and went to open it, recognizing that the person at the door was her daughter’s ex-boyfriend 33-year-old Gregory McKnight. As the victim was in the process of opening the door, McKnight forced his way inside and yelled “give me my mother f**** dog.”
The victim says she attempted to calm him down but he continued to yell at her and punch the inside of her door.
While that went on, McKnight’s current girlfriend 26-year-old Yoselynn Rios, walked inside the home holding a black semi-automatic handgun and threatened to shoot the victim if she did not give back the dog.
According to the report, the victim ran deeper into her home with Rios following close behind.
The victim then grabbed her phone and tried to hit Rios with it. Rios was said to have run out of the home, and the victim ran after her.
When McKnight noticed the victim running after Rios, he allegedly struck the victim with the back of his hand on her stomach and hip area.
The victim’s husband then told McKnight not to take another step or he would call the police.
Rios then re-entered the home and McKnight told her that they were going to leave because the husband was going to call the police.
The ex-girlfriend was in the driveway at the time of the incident and told the police that the incident occurred because the couple wanted their dog back.
The victim told authorities that McKnight’s mother used to live next door and about a year ago McKnight asked if the dog could stay with the victim. The victim agreed but said that she would keep the dog for a month. After the dog remained in the victim’s care for an extended period of time, the victim assumed the rights of the dog:
“The victim explained that she attempted to contact McKnight numerous times for approximately (1) one year about the dog and McKnight never responded. The victim at this point assumed the rights to the dog since she spends time and money, taking care of the dog and the fact that McKnight appeared to have abandoned the dog,” the arrest report states.
Both McKnight and Rios were charged with home invasion with a firearm.