A Wyoming teen is facing a felony animal abuse charge after allegedly poisoning her roommate’s dog.
Allie Erspamer, 19, is accused of poisoning a pit bull named Lilly in April. Her roommate, identified as Hallie Blake, contacted Sweetwater County Sheriff’s investigators after her dog started having seizures.
Blake reportedly said that following the seizures, Lily became ill and began collapsing and vomiting. That’s when a veterinarian indicated that the dog had been showing signs of poisoning.
“We paid thousands of dollars in vet bills trying to get her saved,” Blake’s mother, Shalane, told Cowboy State Daily.
According to an affidavit obtained by the outlet, SCSO investigators stated that in March, Erspamer claimed Lily bit her, causing superficial wounds.
Shalane said she had doubts about the pup biting Erspamer. Court documents obtained by Sweetwater Now stated that Blake adopted the dog in December 2024, and that the defendant, who moved in with Blake the following month, expressed “expressed distaste” for Lily.
A veterinarian later told the Blake family that Lily had kidney failure, and recommended euthanizing her. The family agreed, and Lily’s remains were sent for a necropsy at the State Veterinary Crime Lab in Laramie.
The lab report indicated that Lily had been poisoned with antifreeze.
Snapchat messages allegedly revealed that Erspamer told someone she had given Lily treats “that were sprayed with bleach,” according to Sweetwater Now. She then allegedly discussed how to avoid detection with another friend.
While using Snapchat’s AI assistant, Erspamer made search queries that include:
- “can an autopsy on a dog show antifreeze poisoning?”
- “what about bleach?”
- “how long would it take for bleach to kill a dog?”
In September, Erspamer’s friend was charged with accessory after the fact, but the case has been dismissed without prejudice.
Erspamer, identified as the daughter of Rock Springs Police Chief Bill Erspamer, has a scheduled preliminary hearing for November 26.
Meanwhile, Hallie Blake told Cowboy Daily on Monday that the defendant’s father is a good person who has been facing backlash over his daughter’s alleged actions.
“One thing I feel strongly about is how much hate her dad is getting,” she said.
“I understand that (news stories) saying ‘chief of police’s daughter’ catches the eye, and people in the comments (seize on it). But Bill’s always been great to me. And I know Bill’s a good person.”
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[Feature Photo: Hallie Blake and Lilly/Facebook]
