Oregon: Michael Lynch, 76, accused of poisoning neighbor’s dogs faces 64-count indictment

OREGON -- A northeast Portland man accused of poisoning his neighbor’s dogs with a ricin-like toxin is now facing charges including aggravated animal abuse and attempted aggravated animal abuse.

A grand jury issued a 64-count indictment against 76-year-old Michael Joseph Lynch on Monday.

Lynch was initially arrested in May.

Schmidtke said he came home one day in March 2016 to a “vile” message on his answering machine.

“[Lynch] said that he was not going to tolerate this and that I would lose these dogs and he would see to it,” Schmidtke said. 

"I was having a cup of coffee on my patio and I saw him throw poisoned meat into my yard four different times.”

Schmidtke said his dogs, named Bandit and Snowflake were vomiting, unable to move and seriously ill. Luckily, they both survived.

 

 

Court documents state toxins were found in the dogs’ stomachs by a veterinarian. Court documents also stated what deputies discovered in Lynch’s home.

Investigators wrote that they found castor seeds, from which ricin can be derived, along with wrapped meat in a green liquid, a jar marked “botulism poison” and lists of poisons along with calendars noting “use slingshot to shoot meat over bushes,” the dates the dogs were barking and the dates Lynch “threw meat over the bushes.”

Deputies said when they arrived with a search warrant, Lynch told them he was armed and reached for his waistband. Deputies recovered a gun that was concealed in Lynch’s waistband and said he did not have a concealed weapons permit.

When contacted by FOX 12 in May, Lynch said, “I didn’t do anything to his dogs.”

Monday’s indictment alleges Lynch intentionally attempted to “maliciously kill” and “torture” the dogs.

Along with the animal abuse charges, Lynch was also indicted on charges of unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of a loaded firearm in public and recklessly endangering another person.

An arraignment date on the new charges was not immediately scheduled.

 

 

ARREST INFO:
Full Name: Michael Joseph Lynch
Gender: Male
Race: White
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 230 lbs
Hair Color: Gray
Eye Color: Brown
Arrest Age: 76
Date: 07/17/2017
Time: 1:07 PM
Charges:
#1 AGGRAVATED ANIMAL ABUSE 1
#2 AGGRAVATED ANIMAL ABUSE 1
#3 AGGRAVATED ANIMAL ABUSE 1
#4 AGGRAVATED ANIMAL ABUSE 1
#5 AGGRAVATED ANIMAL ABUSE 1
#6 AGGRAVATED ANIMAL ABUSE 1
#7 AGGRAVATED ANIMAL ABUSE 1
#8 AGGRAVATED ANIMAL ABUSE 1
#9 AGGRAVATED ANIMAL ABUSE 1
#10 AGGRAVATED ANIMAL ABUSE 1
#11 AGGRAVATED ANIMAL ABUSE 1
#12 AGGRAVATED ANIMAL ABUSE 1
#13 AGGRAVATED ANIMAL ABUSE 1
#14 AGGRAVATED ANIMAL ABUSE 1
#15 AGGRAVATED ANIMAL ABUSE 1
#16 AGGRAVATED ANIMAL ABUSE 1
#17 AGGRAVATED ANIMAL ABUSE 1
#18 AGGRAVATED ANIMAL ABUSE 1
#19 AGGRAVATED ANIMAL ABUSE 1
#20 AGGRAVATED ANIMAL ABUSE 1
#21 AGGRAVATED ANIMAL ABUSE 1
#22 AGGRAVATED ANIMAL ABUSE 1
#23 AGGRAVATED ANIMAL ABUSE 1
#24 AGGRAVATED ANIMAL ABUSE 1
#25 ANIMAL ABUSE I MISDEMEANOR
#26 ANIMAL ABUSE I MISDEMEANOR
#27 ANIMAL ABUSE I MISDEMEANOR
#28 ANIMAL ABUSE I MISDEMEANOR
#29 ANIMAL ABUSE I MISDEMEANOR
#30 ANIMAL ABUSE I MISDEMEANOR
#31 ANIMAL ABUSE I MISDEMEANOR
#32 ANIMAL ABUSE I MISDEMEANOR
#33 ANIMAL ABUSE I MISDEMEANOR
#34 ANIMAL ABUSE I MISDEMEANOR
#35 ANIMAL ABUSE I MISDEMEANOR
#36 ANIMAL ABUSE I MISDEMEANOR
#37 ANIMAL ABUSE I MISDEMEANOR
#38 ANIMAL ABUSE I MISDEMEANOR
#39 ANIMAL ABUSE I MISDEMEANOR
#40 ANIMAL ABUSE I MISDEMEANOR
#41 ANIMAL ABUSE I MISDEMEANOR
#42 ANIMAL ABUSE I MISDEMEANOR
#43 ANIMAL ABUSE I MISDEMEANOR
#44 ANIMAL ABUSE I MISDEMEANOR
#45 ANIMAL ABUSE I MISDEMEANOR
#46 ANIMAL ABUSE I MISDEMEANOR
#47 ANIMAL ABUSE I MISDEMEANOR
#48 ANIMAL ABUSE I MISDEMEANOR
#49 ANIMAL ABUSE II
#50 RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT
#51 RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT
#52 RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT
#53 RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT
#54 RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT
#55 RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT
#56 RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT
#57 RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT
#58 RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT
#59 RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT
#60 RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT
#61 RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT
#62 UNLAWFUL POSSESSION FIREARM
#63 UNLAWFUL POSSESSION FIREARM

VIDEO NEWS CLIP:

 

(KPTV - July 11, 2017)

Earlier:

• Oregon: Michael Lynch, 76, accused of poisoning neighbor’s dogs with deadly ricin-like toxin

Oregon: Michael Lynch, 76, accused of poisoning neighbor’s dogs with deadly ricin-like toxin

OREGON -- A Northeast Portland man is facing several animal abuse charges, accused of poisoning his neighbor’s dogs with a ricin-like toxin.

Richard Schmidtke said his two dogs survived - but barely.

Michael Lynch, 76, made his first appearance Thursday morning on charges of first-degree attempted aggravated animal abuse, two counts of first-degree attempted animal abuse, second-degree animal abuse and unlawful possession of a firearm.

Lynch told Fox 12 by phone Thursday afternoon he was innocent.

But investigators said in court records that Lynch was frustrated over Schmidtke’s barking dogs and called animal control a number of times.

When Animal Control officers failed to find Schmidtke's dogs in violation of the noise ordinance, records show Lynch warned them he would “handle it on his own.”

Schmidtke said he came home one day in March 2016 to a “vile” message on his answering machine.

“[Lynch] said that he was not going to tolerate this and that I would lose these dogs and he would see to it,” Schmidtke said. 

"I was having a cup of coffee on my patio and I saw him throw poisoned meat into my yard four different times.”

Schmidtke said his dogs were vomiting, unable to move and seriously ill.

In court records, the prosecuting district attorney described reports from veterinarians who tested the dogs’ stomach contents and the pieces of meat and wrote they “found a principal component of castor oil and ricinine and [the veterinarian] explains that castor oil acts as a laxative but can be poisonous in large amounts and ingestion of ricinine can cause death and her report also notes that there may be ricin which can kill adult humans in very small quantities.”

Court records also show that when deputies arrived to serve a search warrant at Lynch’s home, Lynch approached them, admitted he was armed and “reached for his waistband.”

Deputies recovered a gun that had been concealed in his waistband but noted Lynch did not have a concealed weapons permit.

Once inside his home, investigators wrote that they found:

• castor seeds, from which ricin can be derived
• wrapped meat in a green liquid
• a jar marked “botulism poison”
• lists of poisons
• calendars noting “use slingshot to shoot meat over bushes,” the dates the dogs were barking and the dates Lynch “threw meat over the bushes.”

 

“I think the man is [mentally] sick,” Schmidtke said. “That’s my guess.”

Schmidtke is now filing a civil suit against his neighbor as well, seeking $400,000 in damages.

Lynch bailed out of jail and is back home pending his court case.

He told Fox 12 by phone "I didn't do anything to his dogs," and when asked about the ricin-like toxin found in the dog's stomach, he claimed, "I don't know nothing about that."

VIDEO NEWS CLIP:

(KPTV -May 11, 2017)

Wisconsin: Police searching for the person who is placing hot dogs laced with nails around apartment complex

WISCONSIN -- A Sauk County 3-year-old Yorkie-mix is lucky to be alive after eating hot dogs, stuffed with nails.

'She's quite the handful but the greatest little puppy," Her dog-dad Tom Deakin said about 'Clarice.'

Monday morning, little Clarice took a few big bites of hot dog pieces she found littered on the ground of Canyon Pointe Apartments in Lake Delton.

'Thought it was kind of odd, in the back of my mind, I thought someone was trying to poison the dogs." Deakin said.

A short time later, Canyon Pointe Apartments issued a warning to property owners about 'food with nails' being found in common areas and staircases.

"If the allegations are true and that was the intent of what the person responsible was doing, I think it's horrible."  Lake Delton Police Lieutenant Bill Laughlin said.

He says he can't comment more on the pending investigation, but does say his detectives are speaking with a person of interest.

Hill-Dale Veterinary Hospital's Dr. Sam Steinich discovered six nails unable to pass through the ten pound pet.  She performed an emergency surgery on Clarice, Tuesday night.

"It just breaks our heart, we are shocked," Dr. Steinich said.  "It's so tough, I think the best advice is being conscientious of who or what is near your animal," she added.

Deakin agrees with Dr. Steinich.

He says he'll keep a closer eye on Clarice.

"No more hot dogs, that's for sure!" He said.

The family has set up a GoFundMe page to help with vet bills:

Help Clarice
Created April 25, 2017 by jennifer ramos

Well to start off I recently moved from Milwaukee,Wisconsin to the Baraboo area for a job. Along with me on the move to baraboo were my two dogs, booker and clarice. Booker is a 9 year old Boston Terrier who has overcame challenging health issues. Clarice is a 4 year old Yorkie Terrier Mix who I adopted about one year ago from the Milwaukee Humane Society. Clarice is a very friendly and playful dog who can always put a smile on your face.

On 4/25/17 I received a call from management of the Canyon Pointe Apartments I live at. This call was to inform me that someone has placed small cut up pieces of hot dogs through the hallway of my building and outside grassy area. Inside these hot dog pieces were about 3-5 small finishing nails!!! Upon hearing this it immediately alerted me.

As I was letting my dogs out earlier that day I noticed my Yorkie (Clarice) eat 3 of the small hot dog pieces before I pulled her away. I didn't think much of the hot dogs and figured they fell out of someone's garbage or dropped by a small kids. I spoke with several other people who live in the same building as me and came to a conclusion that this incident was done on purpose to target dogs at the apartment.

I then took Clarice to the vet for an Xray which revealed 6 nails stuck inside her stomach and 1 somehow luckily on its way out. The option to leave then in her stomach and hope for a safe exit is too risky due to the sharp nails possibly puncturing holes inside her body. Surgery is the only reasonable option.

A police report was files regarding this incident.

My animals are like my children and I'd appreciate any donation or help.

Also thanks to Hill-Dale Veterinary Hospital for all their help with his horrible situation.

Update 1
These were the size of the nails inside her

Update 2
Post surgery all nails out! She was still drowsy from anaesthesia and now taken to Middleton vet for overnight monitoring.

Update 3
Clarice's first night back home. She's very scared and sad that she has to be restricted from playing until she heals. Thank you for all ur prayers and donations!!

(WKOW - April 26, 2017)

Canada: Someone is tossing pizza slices filled with sewing needles in popular Vancouver park

CANADA -- Dog owners are being warned to keep a close eye on their pets after a disturbing discovery at a popular Vancouver park.

Dogs have found and eaten abandoned pieces of pizza stuffed with sewing needles in an off-leash area of Strathcona Park twice in the past few weeks.

In one case, an owner noticed her dog had a piece of food in his mouth, and saw a string hanging out of his mouth as he was about to swallow.

"I pulled it out and it was a bundled up piece of pizza that had been sewn together," DJ Larkin told CTV News.

She threw it out, thinking it was strange but hoping it was an isolated incident, but when she heard another dog was injured in a similar incident, she felt compelled to come forward.

The other dog swallowed the ball of pizza, which had several needles in it, and needed surgery to remove one from its throat.

The incidents have been reported to the City of Vancouver, and officials say they're investigating. Larkin said she's also been in touch with the BC SPCA.

"It's so upsetting because it's a really popular park for East Van dog owners, and I can't imagine any reason to do that except to intentionally injure an animal," she said.

Larkin said she's never had any other experiences with strange things found in the park, but said she'd heard reports of people finding rat poison left out in the area.

The dog owner says she no longer feels comfortable bringing her dog to the park, and others who were at the grounds on Friday said they're keeping a close eye on their animals.

(CTV News - April 21, 2017)

Pennsylvania: Paul Bevan-Xenelis, 39, tried to poison his dog with hot dogs laced with insecticide. When that didn't work, he shot him 32 times in the head with a pellet gun. When that didn't work either, he abandoned him to die, tied to a fence at the Doylestown Country Club where he worked

PENNSYLVANIA -- Authorities say a former golf course superintendent fatally shot his bulldog and then left it behind a building at the suburban Philadelphia country club where he worked.

Doylestown police say 39-year-old Paul Bevan-Xenelis, 39, has been charged with cruelty to animals in connection with the July 24 shooting. Doylestown Country Club officials say he has been fired.

Investigators say the 10-year-old dog had allegedly bitten one of Bevan-Xenelis co-workers at the Doylestown Country Club a few days earlier.

Police say he tied the dog to a fence and shot Kane in the head at least 32 times as the dog was tied to a fence, Doylestown Township police said Monday. 

Eight .22 caliber slugs were recovered from the dog's body, they said.

But Kane did not die immediately from his wounds. Instead, Bevan-Xenelis left the wounded dog tied to the fence at the Doylestown Country Club, where he worked.

Police officers responding to an anonymous call around 9am found the dog under the fence at the rear of a maintenance building. The dog appeared to have fresh wounds to its face and head, they said.

The dog was taken to the SPCA where he had to be euthanized to end his suffering.

ID tags on the dog identified the owner and gave the dog's name.

Initially, they thought Bevan-Xenelis was the victim; that someone had stolen his beloved pet and tortured it to death, leaving it to die on the fence.

However, Bevan-Xenelis told them that he only shot the dog after trying to poison him to death didn't work. Apparently, he laced hot dogs with insecticide but either Kane refused to eat them or if he did eat them, they clearly didn't have the desired effect: death.

Bevan-Xenelis told police that his dog had bitten one of his co-workers at the Doylestown Country Club on Friday, July 22.

Bevan-Xenelis didn't take his dog to the vet and have him euthanized. He didn't contact the rescue he adopted the dog from. He didn't take the dog to the pound and surrender him. Intead, the next night, Saturday July 23rd, he took Kane to the Doylestown Country Club and tied the dog to a fence near a maintenance shed, police said.

He told police he left the dog there that night, but returned Sunday around 5 a.m. and shot the dog. He told police he only shot Kane once in the head. But clearly the vet report showed otherwise; that Bevan-Xenelis had shot him 32 times.

Bevan-Xenelis told police he had intended to come back later and bury the dog.

Bevan-Xenelis is a father of two young children and had adopted the dog as a family pet. Police are puzzled as to why the man would subject his pet to such cruelty.

"The unbelievable cruelty is what jumps out at you," Doylestown Township Police Chief Stephen White said Monday. "To shoot a dog 32 times in the head is obviously gross cruelty. And then to leave the dog laying there suffering is beyond horrible."

Bevan-Xenelis told police he had had adopted the dog from Chester County-based rescue All4Paws Rescue about six months ago, White said.

On Monday, a spokeswoman for that rescue group confirmed that Bevan-Xenelis did adopt the dog from them. She said the group was working with authorities on the case, and would prefer not to be identified publicly due to the violent nature of the offense.

She said the group and its volunteers were "devastated" and "heartbroken" over the attack on the dog.

The dog did not carry a county dog license, which eventually led police to charge Bevan-Xenelis additionally with having an unlicensed dog.

Animal cruelty is a misdemeanor in Pennsylvania, White said. If found guilty, Bevan-Xenelis could face a maximum of a $10,000 fine and up to 5 years in jail.

SPCA director Anne Irwin said Monday that the case is a strong one.

"The DA’s office and judges in Bucks County have always taken a strong stance on cruelty to animals," Irwin said. "I have confidence that this is going to be taken seriously in court."

(Doylestown Patch - August 2, 2011)