McHenry County Blog

The State’s Attorney’s Office reports the sentence for Kirk Locher, who shot the family lab in the press release below:

KIRK LOCHER SENTENCED TO PROBATION,

60 DAYS JAIL FOR AGGRAVATED CRUELTY

Louis A. Bianchi, McHenry County State’s Attorney, announces that Kirk Locher was sentenced to 18 months of probation and 60 days in the McHenry County Jail for the offense of Aggravated Cruelty.

An additional term of the sentence was that Locher obtain a psychological evaluation and that he complies with all recommendations contained in that evaluation.

The defendant was also ordered to own no firearms or animals while on probation.

As a result of his felony conviction, his Illinois Firearm Owner’s Identification Card will be revoked.

Kirk Locher was previously found guilty by a jury on June 30th, 2010.

The evidence at trial revealed that the defendant had been drinking alcohol outside during a power outage on May 30, 2008.

Later, in the early morning hours of May 31, 2008, the defendant woke up his wife complaining that the family dog had bit him.

His wife got out of bed, and sat at the kitchen table.

It was at that point that the defendant brought a revolver out of his bedroom, and leaned over the kitchen table to shoot the Labrador retriever in the head.

Two investigating officers testified that the defendant was under the influence of alcohol on May 31, 2008.

This case was investigated by

• Ofc. Matthew Harmon,
• Det. Frederick Spitzer and
• Sgt. Charles Amati

of the Woodstock Police Department, and prosecuted for the State by Assistant State’s Attorneys Sharyl Eisenstein and Ryan Blackney.

Here’s the press release from the State’s Attorney’s Office:

KIRK LOCHER FOUND GUILTY FOR SHOOTING FAMILY DOG

Louis A. Bianchi, McHenry County State’s Attorney, announces that Kirk Locher was found guilty yesterday by a jury for the offenses of Aggravated Cruelty and Reckless Discharge
of a Firearm, resulting from the shooting death of his yellow Labrador Retriever, “Breeze”.

The evidence at trial revealed that the defendant had been drinking alcohol throughout the afternoon at his Woodstock home on May 30, 2008.

Later that night, the defendant woke-up his wife complaining that the dog had bit him. His wife got out of bed and sat at the kitchen table with the Labrador Retriever resting approximately four feet away on the kitchen floor.

The defendant brought a revolver out of his bedroom, leaned over the kitchen table, and shot
the retriever in the head.

Two investigating officers testified that the defendant was under the influence of alcohol when they arrived at the scene.

Both offenses are class four felonies and the defendant faces a possible sentence of probation or conditional discharge or between one to three years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

This case was investigated by Ofc. Harmon, Det. Spitzer and Sgt. Amati of the Woodstock Police Department, and prosecuted for the State by Assistant State’s Attorneys Sharyl Eisenstein and Ryan Blackney.