- New Hampshire, USA -
The Londonderry Police Department announced the arrest of 60-years-old ROBERT PAUL GERHOLD (pictured).
If his name sounds familiar to many of you, it’s because GERHOLD was involved in another animal cruelty case back in 2023.
Police said in a media release that GERHOLD’s arrest concludes a months-long investigation which began in August 2023.
It started when officer Brittany Reitze responded to a group of attached condominiums on Holly Lane in Londonderry for a neighborhood dispute.
Officer Reitze learned from GERHOLD’s neighbors that “their condominiums were infested with fleas and could smell the strong odor of cat urine in their basements.”
Following the execution of a search warrant at GERHOLD’s residence, police found two live cats and five deceased ones.
According to the arrest affidavit obtained by Voice For Us, the live cats were discovered upstairs in a bedroom closet. Both furbabies had “noticeable bugs crawling in the fur.”
One of them “was terrified of people and ran and screamed when we were trying to catch him”, states the affidavit.
The second cat appeared to be lethargic. He/she did not even fight back when officers attempted to catch him/her.
In describing the living conditions of the cats, the affidavit states that the Voiceless Victims had a small bowl of food that appeared to have live bugs in and around it. Officers did not see a litter box, nor was there anything to prevent the spread of fleas or to treat the cats who were infested.
Officers then found five dead cats in a pink plastic container in the basement fridge.
According to the affidavit, one of them died with his/her eyes and mouth open.
Officer Reitze reported that all five Voiceless Victims were decomposing as there were liquids secreting from them in addition to what appeared to be significant amounts of blood and bodily fluids on their fur. All of them were also “infested with live and dead bugs that appeared to be fleas.”
Throughout the residence, officer Reitze saw multiple bowls “that were filled with a clear liquid substance and what appeared to be dead fleas at the bottom of each bowl.”
There were also food bowls left on the kitchen floor and fleas jumping around on the kitchen floor and throughout the entire house.
Animal Control Officer Rondeau with the Manchester Police Department responded to the scene and took custody of all seven cats.
In September 2023, officer Reitze made arrangements with the NH Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (NHVDL) for a necropsy to be conducted on the deceased cats.
At the end of December 2023, officer Reitze received results from the necropsy which were inconclusive. Due to the decomposition stage, the necropsy was performed on one cat only.
Officer Reitze arrested GERHOLD on March 13, 2024.
GERHOLD was charged with seven counts of animal cruelty. Additionally, GERHOLD was charged with seven counts of breach of bail because two years ago he was charged with abandoning fourteen (14) cats and because of that case, GERHOLD had an active bail condition preventing him from “possessing” any other animals.
Voice For Us Disclaimer: This story is sourced from the press release by the Londonderry Police Department. Link included.
Please note that details may be removed or new information added should such sources report an update.
In the case of charges being dropped, dismissed, or the case being purged, this article will be rectified accordingly, if official documentation is provided to Voice For Us.
GERHOLD ‘s mugshot shared from the Londonderry Police Department.
