Teen claims her bewildered dog's final hours uncovered a best friend's sick betrayal... leaving local police squirming
A Wyoming woman has recalled the horrific moment she found out her dog had been poisoned with anti-freeze in an attack that cops suspect was carried out by her best friend.
Hallie Blake, 19, told the Daily Mail, 'She was my best friend all throughout high school, after high school. We lived together and everything, and then it just fell apart right at the seams.'
Cops believe her roommate, Allie Erspamer, 19, the daughter of Rock Springs Police Chief Bill Erspamer, sprayed the dog's treats with antifreeze.
Allie is now facing one count of felony animal cruelty for allegedly poisoning her roommate's dog, a pit bull named Lilly.
Hallie called the police department in April to report that her dog had been poisoned after suffering mysterious seizures for a month.
She told the Daily Mail that she first noticed something was off with Lilly in March, and things only continued to get worse.
After bringing Lilly to two veterinarians, she was given the devastating news that her dog was suffering from kidney and liver failure.
Allie moved out of the home just a few weeks prior due to an argument over bills. A day after Hallie said goodbye to her pup, she received a call from a friend who told her about the alleged poisoning.
Hallie Blake, 19, reported a potential poisoning to authorities after her dog had to be euthanized due to kidney failure
Allie Erspamer, 19, faces one count of felony animal cruelty for allegedly poisoning her roommate's dog, which eventually led to euthanasia
Allie's father, Bill Erspamer, is the police chief of Rock Springs. Due to his position, the case will be prosecuted by a county attorney from a different district
Hallie then learned that Allie was allegedly messaging a friend on Snapchat, and a search warrant revealed an exchange about spraying bleach on Lilly's treats.
Hallie told the Daily Mail that Allie texted her later that day and denied that she did anything to hurt her dog.
Allie also allegedly said that Hallie could do whatever she needed to find out the truth.
'And I think it was essentially her way [of saying] "If you think you need to call the cops to find out the truth, you're not gonna find anything." Like thinking, I wasn't gonna do it, but I was gonna do it,' Hallie said.
Allie also allegedly asked Snapchat's artificial intelligence function if an autopsy on a dog can show antifreeze poisoning and how long it would take for bleach to kill a dog, according to an affidavit obtained by Cowboy State Daily.
Hallie told investigators that Allie 'expressed distaste' for her dog shortly after the girls moved in together at the start of the year, according to the affidavit.
She added that Lilly was a rescue dog and was around one year old when she was euthanized.
Around the same time Lilly began to suffer seizures, she had bitten Allie, according to the affidavit.
Hallie told a local news outlet that she adopted Lilly, a pit bull, last year, and she was only about one year old when she started exhibiting disturbing symptoms
A vet recommended euthanasia after Lilly suffered multiple seizures and began collapsing and vomiting
Hallie's mom, Shalane Blake, told Cowboy State Daily that the bite didn't break skin but left a red mark on Allie's lip.
Lilly's vet, Dr. Margaret White, told investigators that the dog's remains were sent to the State Veterinary Crime Lab for a necropsy report, which is an autopsy for animals.
The report concluded that Lilly had kidney failure from antifreeze poisoning.
Hallie told the Daily Mail that she received the necropsy while on vacation with her family in Las Vegas.
'I got the call when I was at lunch, and I was just, almost relieved in a sense, that I finally know. But also, I was just so hurt because that meant it was so real for me,' she said.
Hallie said she couldn't think of a reason why her roommate would allegedly poison her dog.
'We were best friends. You would never see us not with each other. Her family was my family, and my family was her family. We literally did everything together. We were best friends,' she added.
Allie was charged in October and is out on bond awaiting a preliminary hearing. Due to her father's position, the case will be prosecuted by Sublette County Attorney Clayton Melinkovich rather than by the Sweetwater County Attorney's Office.
A judge from the Pinedale Circuit Court will review the case instead of a Rock Springs judge to avoid a conflict of interest.
An affidavit revealed that Allie allegedly asked the AI function on Snapchat questions about antifreeze and bleach
Hallie told Cowboy State Daily that the situation 'broke' her after losing her dog and friend
Hallie told Cowboy State Daily that she hopes her former roommate's father doesn't receive backlash for the case.
'One thing I feel strongly about is how much hate her dad is getting,' Hallie told the outlet.
'Bill’s always been great to me. And I know Bill’s a good person. I feel bad because he’s getting hate for something he didn’t do.'
Hallie said that she hasn't spoken to her former roommate or her family since the incident.
The Daily Mail has reached out to Chief Bill Erspamer, Allie's representation, and the prosecuting attorney for comment.
