A chance for justice in the case of 21 dead cats could be “slim to none,” according to the investigating humane officer.

All 21 felony counts of aggravated animal cruelty against Tamara Rusz, listed in court documents as being from Mars, were withdrawn July 3, according to court records.

Butler County District Attorney Richard Goldinger said Wednesday that he has plans to refile against Rusz. He had no further comment.

“The charges were withdrawn by (Goldinger's office) because there was not enough evidence,” Butler County humane officer Janice Lawniczak said Wednesday.

Lawniczak said she received an email from Assistant District Attorney Robert Zanella on July 12 informing her of the decision and saying she needed to interview Rusz and gather more evidence.

She said she was not told at that time that charges would be refiled.

“My suggestion would be to write a letter to our D.A. to see why the felony charges could not be filed,” she said.

Lawniczak said she believes she will need a confession from Rusz, who has been on the run, to refile those charges.

“A lot depends on finding her,” she said.

Lawniczak investigated the Winfield Township scene in June when she discovered mainly skeletal remains inside carriers, bins and garbage bags containing bins.

She said the scene resembled another in November, uncovering the death of five cats, that also resulted in Rusz and her boyfriend, Kevin Delehanty of Cranberry Township, being charged with misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty.

Despite the most recent withdrawn charges against Rusz, the misdemeanor charges against the couple in the first case remain.

Delehanty allegedly gave Lawniczak a statement admitting that he and Rusz had left the six cats on the neighboring property.

He is expected to appear before Judge William Shaffer on Aug. 6 regarding these charges. He was not charged in the second case.

Lawniczak said both scenes were gruesome enough to forever imprint themselves in her mind and those of the people who have followed this case. She said she was ecstatic when the district attorney pressed felony charges against Rusz.

“The second one made it all the worse, especially because there were so many more of them,” Lawniczak said. “It's the same person doing the same thing again, and we're not getting any justice for these animals.”

She said she encourages anyone who is set on justice for the dead cats to make their voices heard.

“Write these letters,” Lawniczak said. “I'm here to enforce these laws. I just need the backup.”