Two arrested in connection with Hoosick horse slaughter

A 25-year-old man from Hoosick Falls and his 17-year-old girlfriend from Watervliet have been arrested for allegedly slaughtering a horse at a Hoosick farm back in December, State Police announced Tuesday.

State Police arrested Michael Lohnes and Alyna O'Donovan after an investigation into the Dec. 22nd incident. The owner of a farm located on Hill Road had contacted police to report a burglary and a horse boarded on the property stabbed to death.

Investigators determined Lohnes a suspect based on physical evidence left at the scene, police said. Lohnes was the subject of several active arrest warrants at the time.

Police executed a search warrant at Lohnes's Third St. home on Dec. 23rd, and seized several personal items believed to link Lohnes to the crimes.

Nearly a week later, on Dec. 29th, O'Donovan, who was on probation with the Rensselaer County Probation Department, contacted probation officials to tell them she had cut off her monitoring bracelet because she was traveling with her boyfriend, who was wanted by police.

Investigators conducted interviews from Vermont to Virginia and searched several homes to located Lohnes, police said.

Lohnes has been charged with burglary, criminal mischief and cruelty to animals. O'Donovan has been charged with criminal mischief, criminal impersonation and hindering prosecution.

Lohnes and O'Donovan were arraigned in Hoosick Town Court. Both were sent to Rensselaer County Jail without bail.