From The Spotsylvania Sheriff’s Office:
On June 18, 2020, the Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office was contacted in reference to a complaint of animal abuse. The caller explained that the individuals living at 10516 Heather Greens Circle were letting their dogs attack goats and that they were abusing the goats with a bat. After a lengthy investigation led by Sergeant O’Brien and Deputy Mele, a video was recovered related to the incident, and individuals at the residence were questioned. Multiple individuals at the residence told deputies that the goats were no longer here. A male, later identified as Charles McKinney, claimed the homeowner, Halie Morgan, had two goats, but that she found out she was not allowed to have them in the neighborhood. The male claimed that someone had picked up the goats that morning. Upon further investigation, that was found to be far from the truth. The property was searched, and the goats were found deceased on the property.
Video evidence was also recovered from Donald Compton Jr.’s phone, who recorded the incident. In the video, four individuals played a role in the abuse and death of the two goats, including the goat’s owner, Halie Morgan. Halie was witnessed on the video, encouraging her two large dogs to attack the goats. The dogs were seen barking and chasing the goats around the back yard where the goats were contained. A male individual, Andrew Haefele, used a large bat with spikes to strike the goat(s) as they ran by him. The animals appeared to be beaten with not only this bat, but also a sharper weapon which appears to be a large machete. Charles McKinney appeared to use an object to cut the neck of one goat as it laid on the ground suffering. The video depicted a gruesome scene in which the goats ultimately died.
When the animals were found by deputies of Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office- Animal Control later that day, the goats were found under objects, not in plain view, as if hidden. Both goats could be seen with traumatic injuries, specifically to the neck area. The goats were collected and sent for necropsy due to the injuries, and investigation.
The four suspects involved in the incident, Halie Morgan, Charles McKinney, Donald Compton Jr., and Andrew Haefele, were all direct indicted in Spotsylvania County in July.
