Soap Opera Actor Nick Santino Kills His Dog, Then Himself

Soap opera star Nick Santino, who has appeared on “All My Children” and “Guiding Light”, committed suicide after feeling forced to euthanize his dog, Rocco.

The actor was reportedly being pressured by his condo association to get rid of the dog because it was a pit-bull mix.

Santino was discovered dead in his New York condo, a day after his 47th birthday when he had euthanized Rocco.

The actor wrote in his suicide note, “Today I betrayed my best friend and put down my best friend. Rocco trusted me and I failed him. He didn’t deserve this.”

Santino, who was an orphan himself, adopted Rocco from an animal shelter several years ago. On his facebook page, Nick wrote, “I did not rescue Rocco, Rocco rescued me.”

In 2010, Santino started having problems with other residents in his building, after new dog regulations were announced, banning pit bulls.

The ban didn’t apply to residents who already had pit bulls in the building, but Santino’s neighbors began complaining about the dog.

“He felt like he was in this battle because he was the only guy in the building with a pit-bull mix,” Santino’s neighbor, Kevin Clearly, stated. “He was distraught and remorseful about putting down his best friend.”

Santino called his former girlfriend on Wednesday and police discovered Nick’s body in his bedroom. He died from a drug overdose.