A Las Vegas pet shop owner is accused of working with an arsonist to burn down her business, with the intention of killing all 27 live puppies locked inside.
Gloria Eun Hye Lee, 35, made her first appearance in Clark County court Wednesday, with a mob of animal rights activists protesting her alleged acts outside.
Lee and accomplice Kirk Bills, 27, each face 31 criminal charges including first-degree arson, conspiracy and burglary as well as 27 counts of attempted cruelty to animals - one count for each puppy that might have died.
If convicted, both stand to face decades in prison.
Surveillance footage shows the entire arson, and may be screened as soon as the first preliminary hearing.
In the video, Bills is seen carrying red gasoline cans when Lee lets him into the Prince and Princess pet shop around 1am on January 27.
Bills dumps the gasoline around the store and puppy kennels while Lee collects files from the office and takes out the empty gas canisters.
The two leave through the back door after Bills lights newspapers and starts a fire spreading through the shop.
Luckily firefighters were able to respond to the blaze in time to break in and rescue all 27 puppies inside.
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Lucky dogs: Surveillance footage shows Lee letting an accomplice into her pet shop before lighting the building on fire
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Rescued! Luckily firefighters arrived to save all 27 puppies inside and the dogs have since been placed in the care of animal control (pictured above)
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Tiny: Lee's business seems to have specialized in small dogs
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Justice: Lee and her accomplice have been charged with 27 counts of attempted animal cruelty - one count for each of the dogs that might have died
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Behind bars: Lee and accomplice Kirk Bills (still wanted by police) face 31 other charges including first-degree arson, conspiracy and burglary. If convicted they stand to serve decades in prison
The building incurred about $100,000 in damage. Firefighters credit the build's sprinkler system for keeping the blaze relatively contained.
Authorities haven't yet released a motive for the crime. The rescued puppies have since been placed in the care of the the Clark County animal shelter.
At her hearing on Wednesday, prosecutors asked that Lee be kept on $400,000 bail until her February 24 hearing.
But the judge allowed Lee to leave on $20,000 bond until a bail hearing on Friday. She surrendered her Korean passport to the court.
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Standing up for dogs: Animal rights activists stood outside the Clark County Court today to make a stand against Lee
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Court appearance: A judge allowed Lee to remain free on $20,000 bond until a hearing on Friday. She surrendered her Korean passport to the court
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Next time: Lee will come back to the court on Friday for a bail hearing
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Confronted: One protester even snuck into the court to harass Lee and call her despicable, but was soon kicked out. Above, another of the many protesters
Bills is still being sought by police.
One of the protesters outside found their way into the court and harassed Lee, calling her despicable before being kicked out of the building.
'When you intentionally attempt to burn to death 27 puppies, what do you expect?' said Gina Greisen, head of Nevada Voters for Animals, an advocacy group, who is friends with the protester.
Lee is a three-time felon with convictions in California going back to 1999 for bank theft, forgery and escape. She also had criminal charges for improper animal care dropped in 2008.
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