Southwest
Texas cheerleader accused of poisoning rival's show goat barred from caring for her pets on her own
A Texas teen accused of killing a competitor’s show goat with force-fed poison cannot interact with her own cat, dog or rabbit without adult supervision, according to the latest court order in her felony case.
Aubrey Vanlandingham, 17, admitted to poisoning 6-month-old Willy the goat Oct. 23, according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by Fox News Digital. She told police the goat’s owner was a “cheater,” and she doesn’t “like cheaters,” according to the documents.
Vanlandingham is facing a felony charge of cruelty to a livestock animal and is awaiting trial at home after posting $5,000 bond.
A recent court order prohibits her from interacting with or contacting the victim’s family or caring for any animals except her own pets, which she can only visit with her parents or other adults present. She has also been ordered to submit to drug testing, according to the document.
TEXAS TEEN ALLEGEDLY KILLED RIVAL COMPETITOR’S SHOW GOAT IN ACT OF JEALOUSY
Aubrey Vanlandingham, 17, is accused of killing a rival competitor’s show goat by force-feeding it a pesticide. (Williamson County Sheriff’s Office)
In surveillance footage from Nov. 23 handed over to Cedar Park Police by Vista Ridge High School, Vanlandingham can be seen in the school’s barn forcing the animal to drink the pesticide with a dredging gun, “holding the goat’s head as she forces a syringe-like item into the goat’s throat” as it “fight[s] to break free,” according to court documents.
She was then seen checking on the goat twice in the next two hours, called the goat owner’s mother to tell her that the goat was “acting funny” and sent a video of the goat convulsing to the other teenager, the court documents show.
Read the order imposing conditions of Vandlandingham’s bond:
A later court-ordered search of Vanlandingham’s phone included search queries for “How much bleach can kill an animal” and “Poisoning pets, what you should know.”
Willy died in his owner’s arms about 21 hours later, after he was brought into a vet’s office for “sneezing, diarrhea, coughing and shaking.” During a necropsy five days later, the smell of pesticides “permeated the room,” according to the affidavit.
HOUSTON MANHUNT ENDS: SUSPECT ACCUSED OF FATALLY SHOOTING DEPUTY IS SHOT AND KILLED BY POLICE
Vanlandingham was also a show competitor with her goat, Lacey. (Ben Hasty/MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle via Getty Images)
A pathologist determined the animal’s cause of death was organophosphate intoxication from phosmet, a pesticide commonly used for external parasite control in livestock.
Both Vanlandingham and Willy’s owner were members of the Vista Ridge’s Future Farmers of America.
Vanlandingham had just been named president of the group and was also a cheerleader at the school in the Austin suburbs, the Daily Mail reported. She posted frequently on social media about her own show goat Lacey, who she paraded in animal shows statewide.
TEXAS TRAGEDY: FATHER DIES TRYING TO SAVE TEENAGE SON WHO WAS ACCIDENTALLY SHOT BY SON’S BROTHER
Goats stick their heads out of a trailer as they head to market after the Junior Market Goat Show at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo at NRG Center March 9, 2018, in Houston. (Karen Warren/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)
Prosecutors said Vanlandingham poisoned the younger student’s goat to ensure her own victory at an upcoming event.
“My minor client and her family are working hard to resolve any legal issues and non-legal issues raised by these allegations, and we are thankful for a judicial process that will let us tell our story,” Vanlandingham’s attorney told KXAN.
The victim’s mother told the Daily Mail the teen does not appear to be remorseful.
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“It’s all bizarre. We want justice served. We don’t want a slap on the wrist. We want to make sure that she is punished. At this point, we don’t feel like she thinks she’s going to be punished, and she needs to be. She needs to take ownership for what she’s done,” the mother told the outlet, adding they want her to go to jail and get mental help.
“You can’t even cheat when it comes to showing goats,” she said. “It makes no sense, so that’s where the jealousy really kind of falls into place.”
Initially scheduled for this week, the teen’s next hearing has been pushed to March, according to court documents. She could face up to two years in prison or a fine of $10,000 for the charge under Texas law. She has not yet entered a plea. Fox News Digital could not reach her attorney for comment by press time.
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Los Angeles, Ca
Watch Project Angel Food's 'Lead with Love' telethon on KTLA
The star-studded feel-good giveback event of the summer has returned. KTLA 5 is teaming up once again with Project Angel Food for the annual “Lead with Love: Going the Distance” telethon to raise critical funds for medically tailored meals delivered to people living with serious illnesses throughout Los Angeles County. The seventh annual telethon airs […]
Los Angeles, Ca
Woman ambushed, violently attacked by robber in downtown Long Beach
A woman was hospitalized with serious injuries after she was violently attacked by a robber in downtown Long Beach. On June 18, Jennifer Silva, 34, was attending a World Cup watch party at a Hooters restaurant at 90 Aquarium Way. After the game ended, she left the restaurant just before 11 p.m. As she walked […]
Los Angeles, Ca
Jury says it is deadlocked in trial of man accused in Palisades Fire
Jurors deliberating the fate of the man accused of starting the Palisades Fire, one of the most destructive wildfires in California’s history, failed to reach a verdict Thursday afternoon, telling the judge they were deadlocked.
A spokesperson from the United States Attorney’s Office told KTLA that jurors will continue to deliberate until they reach a verdict or give up.
Jonathan Rinderknecht, 30, a former Uber driver and one-time Pacific Palisades resident, is accused of starting the Lachman Fire on New Year’s Eve. The fire continued to smolder underground for about a week, even after Los Angeles firefighters believed it had been extinguished.
Flames reignited on Jan. 7, erupting into the deadly Palisades Fire that killed 12 people and destroyed thousands of homes in the upscale community, authorities said.
Prosecutors argued that Rinderknecht deliberately set the fire, claiming he had grown increasingly resentful of wealthy residents and viewed Pacific Palisades as a symbol of that frustration.
“Their case, though circumstantial, is strong,” KTLA legal analyst Alison Triessl said. “The defense is relying on, can they (prosecutors) show beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Rinderknecht actually started this fire and it wasn’t the result of fireworks or some intervening cause.”
The defense argued there is no direct physical evidence tying Rinderknecht to the fire and said the prosecution’s case relies entirely on circumstantial evidence. Rinderknecht did not testify during the trial.
Defense attorney Steve Haney spoke outside the courthouse Wednesday about why he believes it will be difficult for prosecutors to prove how the fire started.
“The lack of scene preservation. The fact that they got there after a lot of the evidence was missing. Not a lot of direct evidence. This is a circumstantial case, which is always difficult as a prosecutor to prove,” Haney said.
Rinderknecht, who was arrested and indicted last October, faces up to 45 years in prison if found guilty of three arson counts, including destruction of property by means of fire, arson affecting property used in interstate commerce and timber set afire.
Tony Kurzweil contributed to this report
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