Rhode Island Man Killed With Garden Shears By His Twin Daughters After Argument Over Their 12 Cats, Cops Say

Twin sisters have been arrested and charged with the murder of their 70-year-old father in Rhode Island after an alleged argument over cats, according to authorities.

On Jan. 30, Jennifer Pamula, 38, allegedly got into an argument with her father, Joseph Pamula, about “selling the house and getting rid of 12 cats,” WPRI-TV reported.

At the time, Jennifer’s twin sister, Danielle Pamula, allegedly told police she was sleeping when the fight occurred. When she woke up, she found her father dead with garden shears sticking out of his neck. Danielle said her sister was unconscious next to him with some pills nearby, WPRI-TV reported.

Danielle called 911 and when police arrived at the home in Woonsocket, they found blood-soaked Jennifer on the floor in the living room. WPRI-TV reported she allegedly told police, “I had to do it.”

Jennifer was arrested on suspicion of murder on Jan. 30, officials said.

According to WJAR-TV, Special Assistant Attorney General Jessica Villella told the court that Danielle and Jennifer had “matching injuries” on their hands, even though Danielle was supposedly upstairs sleeping when their father was killed.

Villella said both the sisters had “injuries in this incident” and that Danielle “admitted to police they had both taken part in the killing of her father."

Police said they have been to the residence in the past, but Chief Thomas Oates explained the previous calls were all “minor incidents between them” and “none of those issues rose to the level where anyone was assaulted or was violent."

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On March 31, Danielle was arrested and charged with domestic violence murder. She was ordered to be held without bail, officials said.

Danielle is due back in court on April 7.