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The dog was chained to a tree in the 600 block of Dent Street.
A necropsy determined Diamond died of starvation.
"When there's so many resources and other options to intentionally leave a living breathing being that feels pain like you and I do on the end of a chain to die a slow death is horrendous," said Kate MacFall, the Florida Director of the Humane Society of the United States.
"Usually we're able to get involved before it gets to this point, but on occasion, we do get calls where the dog is already dead," said Lieutenant Jeff Doyle of Tallahassee Animal Control.
Investigators determined Diamond belonged to 33 year old Terrance Barber.
They found when Barber was evicted from his home, he simply left Diamond chained to a tree.
Barber was offered a plea deal in the case, but he turned it down.
Instead, after nearly four hours of deliberation, a jury found Barber guilty of animal cruelty.
He's been sentenced to 6 months in jail, two years probation and no pet ownership during the probation.
"A lot of times when we do get charges, there's a plea offer and it's usually taken," said Lieutenant Doyle. "This was somewhat unique that it went to a jury trial," he said.
Barber has a criminal history in Leon County dating back to when he was 19 years old.
In 1999 he was charged and later convicted of felony cocaine and cannibas possession.
The next year, he was again charged and later convicted of the same charges.
In both cases, he violated probation.
Now he's been convicted of animal cruelty.
"We're pleased to see there's going to be justice for Diamond," said Lieutenant Doyle.
"I hope it deters someone from commiting a crime like this," said MacFall.
According to court records, Barber must turn himself in to the Leon County Jail to begin serving his six month jail sentence by 5 p.m. on Friday.
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