A 19-year-old Hightstown woman accused of killing her family's 9-year-old dog with a shovel and a claw hammer after her prior attempts to poison the dog failed was arrested last week. According to Mercer County Prosecutor's Office Michelle Wankoff was charged with two counts of animal cruelty, tampering with evidence, and weapons offenses.
On July 21, Wankoff tried to poison the dog with various medications when that failed she allegedly struck and killed the dog on the head with a shovel and then a claw hammer, prosecutors said.
However, it was not till July 25th that police discovered that Wankoff kept the dog's body inside a small refrigerator in her bedroom for days before she buried the dog in a shallow grave in woods near Wankoff's home. After receiving a tip on that day, Hightstown police and the New Jersey Socieity for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Humane Police recovered the body.
Tyler Phernamucq,19, was issued a summons for tampering with evidence after helping Wankoff bury the dog.
Wankoff's bail was set at $25,000.