Man found guilty of killing neighbor's Labrador Retriever in Pennsylvania

A man was found guilty of shooting and killing his neighbor's 11-year-old Labrador Retriever in Clinton County, Pennsylvania, authorities said. 

The Clinton County District Attorney's Office said in a news release that a jury found Robert J. Wallish III guilty on one count of aggravated cruelty to animals and one count of tampering with evidence. The jury deliberated for about one hour on the charges against Wallish, who faces a maximum penalty of up to nine years in prison. 

The 55-year-old man from Dauphin County fatally shot the dog, named Hemi, while at his hunting cabin in Westport, Noyes Township, in December 2024, the district attorney's office said. He then allegedly drove the dog's remains 150 miles to Dauphin County, where he allegedly dumped the body in a farm field near his home. The dog had a gunshot wound to its neck. 

The investigation started, according to the district attorney's office, after Hemi's family reported him missing. A search for the dog led investigators to Wallish's property, where they found blood and dog hair, which matched Hemi's, according to the district attorney's office. The dog was also microchipped, allowing investigators to find his remains. 

While on the stand, Wallish said he shot the dog in self-defense and panicked, leading him to take the dog to the field, according to the district attorney's office.

Wallish's first trial in March ended in a mistrial after the courthouse's emotional support dog, a black lab, wandered into the jury room during a lunch break in the first trial.