Texas teen accused of poisoning rival’s goat because she ‘doesn’t like cheaters’
Aubrey Vanlandingham (Source: Williamson County)
WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas - A Texas teenager admitted to law enforcement she poisoned a goat because she believed the care-taker, a fellow student, "was a cheater" and she "doesn't like cheaters," according to an arrest affidavit.
17-year-old Aubrey Vanlandingham is facing a cruelty to livestock charge in connection to the incident in Cedar Park, just north of Austin, according to court documents.
Law enforcement was called to the Vista Ridge High School Barn on Oct. 25. The detective was told the incident happened on Oct. 23, 2024, around 9 a.m.
Surveillance video, reviewed by the detective, reportedly shows the 17-year-old, identified as Vanlandingham, grab supplies from the locker area of the barn and walk to the goat pens. She fed the goat, named Willie, and sprayed the goat's pen with a spray bottle. She then walked to the storage area empty-handed and left with a bottle. Video shows the teen grabbing a cylindrical device with a long, skinny tube and walked back to the goat pen.
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The court documents say the surveillance video then shows Vanlandingham enter the goat pen, and while straddling the goat, holding the goat's head and forcing the syringe-type item into the goat's mouth. She struggled to hold the goat, released him, and twice more forced the syringe-type item into the goat's mouth. She then returns to the goat's pen two more times during the day to check on the goat.
The video shows the teen pulling out a cell phone, appearing to text three times, taking photographs or videos of the goat, making a phone call, then taking more photographs or videos of the goat.
Around 4 p.m., the owner and caretaker of the goat, a student at Vista Ridge High School, brought the animal to Sunset Canyon Veterinary Clinic in Dripping Springs for sneezing, diarrhea, coughing and shaking. The next day, around 7:30 a.m., the goat was brought in and was dead.
A necropsy was performed on the goat, and once the veterinarian cut into the goat's stomach, he immediately recognized the smell of pesticides.
The investigation revealed a drench gun and two bottles of Prolate insecticide/pesticide were recovered from Vista Ridge High School.
Willie's caretaker told police Vanlandingham texted her and called her on Oct. 23, saying Willie was acting funny, shaking and not acting right, according to court records. The caretaker says she then received video of video.
While law enforcement interviewed Vanlandingham, she initially denied giving Willie pesticide, then confessed. She also told law enforcement this was not the first time she had tried to feed Willie pesticide, and injected pesticide into Willie's mouth about three days before the incident with an oral syringe.
The investigation also revealed Vanlandingham's phone search history, which included; "How much bleach can kill an animal," "If goats inject bleach do they die," "Poisoning pets, what you should know," "Can straight bleach kill goats," "How much bleach kills a goat," and "How to clear search history." There were also searches for pesticides and insecticides.
A warrant for Vanlandingham's arrest was issued, and she was booked into the Williamson County Jail. She has since bonded out and is expected to appear in court on January 15.