Gainesville man arrested for punching and robbing a man after his dog ran into the victim’s yard

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Troy Elwon Butler, 59, was arrested yesterday after his dog reportedly bit a man as Butler passed the man’s house; after the man kicked the dog in response, Butler allegedly punched the man and then took $40 from his pocket.

At about 10:40 a.m., a Gainesville Police Department officer responded to a home near the intersection of NW 13th Street and NW 53rd Avenue, where the victim said he was smoking outside his house when Butler rode past the house on a scooter. The victim said Butler charged at him and punched him in the mouth, knocking him down, and then went through his pockets and took two $20 bills. The victim said that Butler rode away on a scooter with his dog.

According to a witness, when Butler rode past the victim’s house with his small dog, the dog ran toward the victim and bit the victim; the victim kicked the dog in response, and Butler charged at the victim and punched him in the face, knocking him to the ground. Butler reached into the victim’s pocket and took something out, but the witness couldn’t see what it was. Butler walked away, and the victim stood up and started yelling, so Butler charged at the victim again, and the witness separated the two men.

Post Miranda, Butler reportedly made a number of statements in no particular order, but the officer wrote that her understanding of his story was that the victim is a customer of Butler’s, and Butler went to the victim’s house to collect money. When he arrived, he started arguing with the victim and the victim got into his personal space, so he told the victim to back up, but the victim said he wanted to fight and was going to hit Butler. Butler said he backed up, but he was afraid the victim would hit him if he turned his back, so he punched the victim’s face. He said he tried to leave, but the victim chased him, and they argued again. Butler reportedly said it was a mutual fight in which they punched each other; he said the victim initially gave him $80 but asked for $40 back, so he gave him $40 back.

The officer reported that after Butler was placed in a patrol vehicle, he called out to a neighbor to go into his home, grab his keys and $40 that he had stuffed in the couch, and lock his home.

On the way to the jail, Butler reportedly told the officer that the witness saw everything that occurred and would know what happened. He also said his dog ran up to the victim after the fight and the victim kicked his dog, so he went back to argue with the victim.

Butler has been charged with battery and unarmed robbery. He has 13 felony convictions (one violent) and 23 misdemeanor convictions (one violent) and has served seven state prison sentences, with his most recent release in 2017. He was arrested in June 2024 for pouring gasoline on a woman and trying to set her on fire, but the charges were later dropped. Judge Jonathan Ramsey ordered him held without bail pending a hearing on a motion from the State Attorney’s office to hold him without bail until trial; if the judge denies the motion, bail will be set at that hearing.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.