Dauphin County Man Guilty of Aggravated Animal Cruelty in Dog’s Death
After a retrial prompted by a mistrial, a Clinton County jury convicted Robert J. Wallish III of aggravated animal cruelty and tampering with evidence in the shooting and concealment of an 11‑year‑old Labrador.
A Clinton County jury found 55‑year‑old Robert J. Wallish III of Hummelstown guilty of one count of Aggravated Cruelty to Animals (F3) and one count of Tampering with Evidence (M2) for shooting and killing an 11‑year‑old yellow Labrador named Hemi at his Westport hunting cabin on Dec. 16, 2024, then concealing and transporting the dog’s body to Dauphin County. Pennsylvania State Police and DNA testing linked blood and biological evidence at Wallish’s cabin to the dog, which was recovered the next day about 150 miles away and identified by a microchip; Wallish testified he acted in self‑defense and panicked. The case was a retrial after a March mistrial when a court facility dog entered the jury room; sentencing will be scheduled and Wallish faces up to nine years in prison.