Wakefield, Va. - Selena Wynne can barely talk about her dog Nikki without tearing up. She says her neighbor, John Launderville, admitted to killing her 10-year-old German Shepherd mix, then burying her on his property.
Launderville was arrested for it last week, charged with maiming or killing of animals or fowl and reckless handling of a firearm.
The Southampton County Sheriff's Office says Launderville has livestock and was worried about their safety, but admitted he never saw Nikki bothering his animals.
“You just don't shoot an animal for no reason," Wynne says. “If he knew that that was my dog, why didn't he make an effort to come down here and leave us a note, something.”
Wynne says Launderville tried to make amends by offering her a pig.
“He said 'What can I do? I'm sorry. What can I do for you?' I said there`s nothing you can do for me,” Wynne says. “He said 'can I give you a pig? I've got a red one.' And I was like 'no. '”
Wynne lives on 60 acres of land off Millfield Road in Wakefield; with no leash law in the county, she says her dogs are free to roam.
When Nikki disappeared two weeks ago, Wynne frantically searched, but never imagined what she would find.
“I said I'm just going to stop by his house, certainly not thinking I was going to hear what I heard,” she says.
Nikki is now back home, buried in the front yard
As difficult as it is to share, Wynne wants Nikki's story told.
"Maybe it will prevent someone else's animal from being killed for no reason at all," she says.
NewsChannel 3 reached out to Launderville at his home tonight. His property was gated so we weren't able to ask him about the charges.
His next court date is scheduled for December.
