Prosecutors have convicted a Palm Bay man of animal cruelty for stabbing his dog, Doobie, in the eye with scissors in an apparent attempt to kill him.

A Brevard County Jury found PAUL R. HEINEMANN guilty on May 8 of animal cruelty resulting in pain or suffering based on evidence and testimony presented by Assistant State Attorneys Alfred Marten and Bernadette Serafinowicz.

Heinemann, 37, now faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000. Heinemann attacked Doobie, a black labrador retriever-boxer-mix, as he sat with the 10-year-old dog on the floor of his widowed stepmother’s home in March 2025.

The stepmother testified that she heard Heinemann say, “I was meant to kill the dog” and move to stab Doobie again. But she grabbed the scissors away from Heinemann and called police.

Palm Bay Police officers who responded found the bloody scissors inside the home along with the dog, who was “excessively panting with a stab to the right eye,” the arrest report says. They arrested Heinemann, and Animal Control took the dog for veterinary treatment. The dog had not been acting aggressively, the stepmother said.

Doobie survived his wound but passed away after an unrelated illness while in the care of other family before Heinemann’s case went to trial.

Heinemann refused to talk to police after the incident and did not testify at trial.

Heinemann has remained in the Brevard County Jail without bond since his arrest. Circuit Judge Kathryn Speicher scheduled his sentencing for June 23.