Michigan man charged with ripping head off girlfriend’s pet duck: ‘Domestic violence at an epic level’

A Michigan man has been charged with tearing the head off his girlfriend’s pet duck and then forcing her to look at it.

Michael Lee Humphries, 49, decapitated the baby bird at the end of an all-day fight that started at a Stevie Nicks concert, Genesee County Sheriff Christopher Swanson said while displaying gruesome photos of the dead animal.

He then hurt his girlfriend — who was not identified — when he “grabbed her face and said, ‘I want you to see this,’” Swanson claimed in the video.

“That’s domestic violence at an epic level,” the sheriff said.

“Humphries ripped the head off a domesticated animal for one purpose and one purpose alone — psychological domination and intimidation of a domestic violence victim. That’s the only reason.

“Ripped the head off this animal — spinal cord still attached — and he did that to send a message to his girlfriend who he had a dispute with,” he said of the “very disgusting case” in Clio.

The decapitated duck was one of two Humphries had gifted his girlfriend in March, the sheriff said, saying the alleged abuser also left “marks on her face” when he made his partner look at wheat he had done.

“There is a direct connect between animal abuse…and violence against vulnerable adults,” Swanson said, even comparing it to Oxford High School shooter Ethan Crumbley, who reportedly tortured animals and kept baby birds’ heads as trophies before he killed four people in the November 2021 massacre.

Humphries — who pleaded guilty to aggravated stalking in a separate case in 2019 — then “fought” officers who came to arrest him Sunday, the sheriff said.

He was charged with torturing, maiming, and killing an animal – a 10-year felony – as well as domestic violence and resisting and obstructing arrest, Swanson continued. He remains in custody on $5,000 bond