Noah Luke Maxson, 19, poisoned neighbor's Jack Russell that barked at his guinea fowl, police say

FLORIDA -- A 19-year-old man was arrested Sunday after authorities said he admitted to poisoning his neighbor’s dog because it barked at his backyard fowl.

Noah Luke Maxson said his neighbor’s Jack Russell terrier, Tinker, often barked at Maxson’s guinea fowl and he poisoned it because he was afraid the dog would get into his yard and attack the birds, according to a Marion County Sheriff’s Office report.

On Sunday, Tinker’s owner, Susan Kay Graham, called 911 and sheriff’s deputies responded to her home at 12170 SW 43rd Street. Grahman reported that her dog was in critical condition at a veterinary clinic and tests showed the animal had ingested antifreeze, the report states.

“We’re devastated. Little Tink wouldn’t hurt a flea. Poor little Tink,” Graham said on Monday.

She said the 10-year-old dog, which she had owned since the canine was a puppy, suffered for hours before she died Sunday evening.

“All he had to do was to come and tell me that the dog was barking, instead of killing my dog,” Graham said.

Graham said she suspected someone in the neighboring home because she had found pieces of tile in her yard that looked similar to tile recently installed next door.

“I figure he tried to get her to stop barking by throwing pieces of tile at her and when that didn’t work he poisoned her,” she said.

Graham explained her suspicions to a deputy and turned over the tile pieces to him. He went next door to 12150 SW 43rd St. and saw similar tile there. Maxson’s mother told the deputy that Noah was not home, and also told the deputy that he had poisoned a dog in the past, according to the report.

The deputy contacted Maxson by phone and he returned to the home, where he admitted to poisoning the dog by mixing antifreeze into a boiled egg and feeding it to the dog through the fence. He said he used the bottom half of a sports drink bottle to feed the dog. The container was found in Maxson's yard, the report states.

According to the report, Maxson told the deputy he had researched the best way to poison and concluded that antifreeze was better than rat poison.

“I hope to God - I don’t know what the maximum penalty is - but I hope he gets that,” Graham said.
Maxson was booked at the Marion County Jail on one count of felony animal cruelty. He was released late Sunday after posting a $2,000 bond.

“He’s back. Right next door. I have another dog that I’m scared to death to let out into the yard now,” Graham said.

A call to Maxson was not immediately returned Monday.

(Ocala - Oct 5, 2015 )