DALLAS -- A 21-year-old is in jail Thursday morning charged in the torture death of the 10-month-old puppy, Mercy, who was stabbed, doused with gasoline and set on fire and died Sunday after several surgeries.

DeShawn Brown was arrested shortly after midnight in Corinth, nearly two weeks after Mercy's tortured body was found in a wooded area April 14.

Brown is accused of stabbing the 10-month-old pit bull mix, dousing her with gasoline and setting her body on fire. He is accused of animal cruelty, a felony that could carry a sentence of up to 10 years.

Mercy was taken to Carrollton animal shelter Operation Kindness for emergency surgery. Despite numerous emergency surgeries, she died days later.

"I think all personnel in this are quite relieved to have a man in custody due to the cruelty of this crime," Sgt. Roger Patterson said.

"It's cruel and it's evil, and it takes an evil person to do that ... and there's no reason for them to do that," Rock Creek pet owner Lachelle Duvall said.

There is a public memorial service to remember Mercy this Saturday at 10 a.m. at Operation Kindness.

It was originally a private memorial, but so many viewers have asked about a service that the shelter has decided to make it public so everyone could attend.