Bismarck police are searching for a man accused of killing an 8-week-old puppy after being asked to leave a mobile home.

Aaron St. Claire, 32, was charged Thursday with criminal trespass, a Class Cfelony, and overworking, mistreating or abandoning animals, a Class Amisdemeanor.

St. Claire has not been arrested. He has no local address, and police believe he is staying with relatives in the Bismarck-Mandan area.

Bismarck Police Lt. Dan Donlin said a 22-year-old Bismarck woman called police Wednesday morning to report that her boyfriend's cousin had killed her puppy during an argument.

The woman said her boyfriend, a 23-year-old Bismarck man, and his cousin, St. Claire, arrived at her mobile home in the park at 2520 E. Broadway Ave. at around 1:30 a.m. Wednesday, Donlin said.

He said the woman reported that she asked St. Claire to leave several times but he refused.

Donlin said the woman told officers St. Claire threatened to kill her puppy, a brown, short-haired dog of mixed breeding. Then, St. Claire allegedly grabbed the puppy, slammed it on the counter and threw it on the ground, Donlin said.

He said the woman said the 23-year-old man tried to grab the puppy, but St. Claire allegedly stepped on its head and killed it.

The 23-year-old man and St. Claire then got in a physical altercation, and St. Claire was forced out of the mobile home, Donlin said.

He said police searched for St. Claire Wednesday but were unable to locate him.

St. Claire was charged with criminal trespass for remaining in the home after being asked to leave, and he was charged with overworking, mistreating or abandoning animals for killing the puppy.

Police were "dumbfounded and astonished and shaking our heads" after hearing that someone had killed a "defenseless little dog," Donlin said.

"I think that's the shocking part of this - the dog had nothing to do with the situation," he said.

St. Claire is described as an American Indian, 5 feet 9 inches tall and about 180 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.

Anyone with information about St. Claire's whereabouts should call the Bismarck Police Department at 223-1212 or Bismarck Area Crime Stoppers at 224-TIPS (224-8477).

(Reach reporter Jenny Michael at 250-8225 or jenny.michael@;bismarcktribune.com.)