Justice for Horse Murdered During Robbery

A 25-year-old man from Hoosick Falls, NY and his 17-year-old girlfriend from Watervliet have been arrested for allegedly slaughtering a horse at a Hoosick farm back in December, State Police announced Tuesday.

State Police arrested Michael Lohnes and Alyna O'Donovan after an investigation into the Dec. 22nd incident. The owner of a farm located on Hill Road had contacted police to report a burglary and a horse boarded on the property stabbed to death.

Investigators determined Lohnes a suspect based on physical evidence left at the scene, police said. Lohnes was the subject of several active arrest warrants at the time.

Police executed a search warrant at Lohnes's Third St. home on Dec. 23rd, and seized several personal items believed to link Lohnes to the crimes.

Nearly a week later, on Dec. 29th, O'Donovan, who was on probation with the Rensselaer County Probation Department, contacted probation officials to tell them she had cut off her monitoring bracelet because she was traveling with her boyfriend, who was wanted by police.

Investigators conducted interviews from Vermont to Virginia and searched several homes to locate Lohnes, police said.

Lohnes has been charged with burglary, criminal mischief and cruelty to animals. O'Donovan has been charged with criminal mischief, criminal impersonation and hindering prosecution.

Lohnes and O'Donovan were arraigned in Hoosick Town Court. Both were sent to Rensselaer County Jail without bail
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Friends of Equines FOES of Equine Slaughter plans on being there in person for any and all court appearances, and invite other animal advocates to join us if you are able. We will be listing the court date here soon, along with the judges name and case index number. 
 
The prosecutor in charge of the case is Laura C. Kruegler, and she can be reached at (518) 270-4040. Please DO call and let her know your feelings about the seriousness of this case, and ask for full prosecution for the offenders..

Burgularizing a home is bad enough in itself, but compounding the injury by the murder of a innocent living animal calls for increased punishment, particularly since both offenders were already on probation or parole when this crime was committed. We are asking that no lieniency be showed by the court for heartless criminals such as this. Studies have shown a distinctive link between people who abuse animals and violent crime against humans. These studies show that a vast majority of violent offenders started out by torturing and/or killing helpless animals.

The message is clear: crimes against animals are to be taken seriously not only for the sake of the animals but for the overall well-being of society in general.   

If we get enough signatures on this petition we will print it up and present it to the court, asking them Please dont give these offenders any more breaks, no more probation or extended parole,....throw the book at them! Sentence accordingly persuant to our repeat / habitual / violent offender statutes.

Thank you in advance for any consideration you may give this matter.


Friends of Equines FOES of Equine Slaughter
http://www.freewebs.com/friendsofequines
"Because We Care"

 http://www.cbs6albany.com/news/old_1259869___article.html/year_hoosick.html