New charges against NJ couple who had dead animals in home

🐶 Rebecca Halbach falsely portrayed herself as an animal rescue worker, police said

🐶 She earned income from the scheme, police said

🐶 Another woman has been charged as well

EVESHAM — Evesham police said a couple has been arrested again in an animal abuse case in which over a dozen malnourished dogs, cats and rabbits and 30 dead dogs were found by police on a property in August.

A third person, meanwhile, has been charged with breaking into the couple's home while they were locked up in an attempt, she reportedly said, to help the animals.

Officers entering the home of Rebecca Halbach and Brandon Leconey on Main Street found it in poor condition with carcasses and dying animals in cages.

Investigators estimate that over 100 dogs may have died at the home and a large number of dog carcasses were found in a hole covered by a tarp.

A 9-year-old child was also living in the home.

Couple arrested again

Halbach and Leconey were charged and arrested for a second time after investigators found Halbach was posing as an employee of an area animal rescue and said she was helping with adoptions and care of animals, according to Evesham police.

She did not properly care for the animals that were turned over to her and brought into the Main Street house but made a profit of $7,000, police said.

Leconey was assisting Halbach with the fraud, officials said.

Both could face additional criminal computer and electronic charges.

Break-in at home

Investigators said Kelli Bowen, of West Berlin, had entered their home while they were in jail without their permission and stole items. The stolen items were not described by police.

Bowen told 6 ABC Action News that she was trying to locate animals that Halbach and Leconey were being paid to care for.

Police asked anyone with additional information about this case to call the department at 856-983-1116 or their confidential tip line at 856-983-4699.

EDITOR'S NOTE: An earlier version of this report inaccurately paraphrased statements in a police report and published report.

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