Jonathan Houston Charged After Eating Raw Roadkill Hog for Social Media

The Scream artwork representing the raw hog eating incident The source used an altered version of The Scream to illustrate the roadside stunt.

Florida Biohazard Criminal Mischief Case

The blood-covered sidewalk required a fire-rescue cleanup costing $346, and the stunt reportedly cost Houston his job.

Incident: November 23, 2025 | Plea: not guilty | Bond: $2,000

Crime LocationNear the Worth Avenue Clock Tower, Palm Beach, Florida
DefendantJonathan Houston
Age27
ChargeCriminal mischief
Cleanup Cost$346
Bond$2,000
Editorial note: Houston was charged over the contaminated public area and cleanup expense, not with animal cruelty. The hog was already dead when he encountered it.
Case status: Houston pleaded not guilty and posted $2,000 bond. No reliable final disposition was located by July 30, 2026.

Summary

A social-media stunt involving a dead hog, a knife and raw meat left a Palm Beach sidewalk covered in blood and produced a misdemeanor criminal-mischief case.

Police said 27-year-old Jonathan Houston found a dead hog near the Worth Avenue Clock Tower on November 23, 2025.

Houston allegedly cut open the carcass, removed raw meat and ate it while filming content for social media.

The activity left blood and biological material on the sidewalk in a heavily visited public area.

Palm Beach Fire Rescue was called to decontaminate the site. The cleanup cost was reported as $346.

Police charged Houston with criminal mischief based on the damage or contamination of public property.

He posted $2,000 bond and pleaded not guilty.

Houston reportedly lost his job after the stunt became public.

The arrest record did not allege that he killed or injured the hog. The animal was described as roadkill or otherwise already dead.

No reliable later court result was located.

1. The Crime

The alleged offense was contaminating or damaging public property through the dismemberment of a dead animal.

The cleanup invoice supplied a measurable property-loss amount.

The social-media recording could help establish identity and intent.

2. Crime Location

The stunt occurred near the Worth Avenue Clock Tower in Palm Beach.

The area is a prominent pedestrian and tourist location.

3. Date and Time of the Crime

  • November 23, 2025Houston encountered the dead hog and allegedly cut and ate raw meat.
  • That dayPalm Beach Fire Rescue decontaminated the sidewalk.
  • Late November 2025Police arrested Houston for criminal mischief.
  • After arrestHouston posted $2,000 bond and pleaded not guilty.
  • July 30, 2026No reliable final disposition had been located.

4. Police Department

The Palm Beach Police Department investigated the incident.

Palm Beach Fire Rescue performed the biological cleanup.

5. Suspect Name

The defendant is Jonathan Houston.

6. Suspect Age

Houston was 27 years old.

7. Charges

Charge or Issue Classification Reported Basis Outcome or Status
Criminal mischief Misdemeanor allegation The hog dismemberment allegedly contaminated a public sidewalk and required a $346 cleanup. Pending; not-guilty plea

8. Bond Amount

Houston posted $2,000 bond.

9. Conviction

No conviction was located. Houston pleaded not guilty.

10. Sentence

No criminal sentence had been imposed.

11. Outcome

The sidewalk was cleaned and disinfected.

Houston was released on bond and reportedly lost his employment.

12. Victim

The Town of Palm Beach was the property and cleanup-cost victim.

No person was reported physically harmed by the stunt.

Victim Name

No individual victim name applies.

Victim Age

Not applicable.

Why the Charge Was Criminal Mischief

The hog was already dead, so the publicly reported charge did not concern cruelty to a living animal.

Police instead focused on intentional contamination of public property and the expense of restoring it.

13. Thoughts

Social media can turn a terrible impulse into a production schedule. Houston allegedly found roadkill and saw content, while the town saw blood, bacteria and a cleanup bill. The criminal charge reflects the second view. Virality is not a disinfectant, and a camera does not transform a public sidewalk into a private studio.

SEO Keywords

Jonathan Houston, raw hog social media, Palm Beach roadkill eater, Worth Avenue hog arrest, criminal mischief biohazard, Florida raw meat stunt

Sources

  1. The Smoking Gun: Hog Eater Collared
  2. Palm Beach Police Department
  3. Florida Statute 806.13: Criminal Mischief

Suggested Tags

Florida, Palm Beach, Jonathan Houston, Hog, Roadkill, Social Media, Criminal Mischief, Male

This article is based on police records, court documents, statutes and published
reporting available as of July 30, 2026. An arrest or criminal charge is not proof
of guilt. Victim addresses and unnecessary personal information have been omitted.
Court records and custody information may change after publication.