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Man Accused of Abusing Wife and Kids With Dog Shock Collars, Needles, Pipes Over 6-Year Period

Joseph Myhre, 44, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault, strangulation and other related offenses.

Warning: This story contains graphic details that may be disturbing for some readers.


A Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, man is accused of physically abusing his wife and two children over the course of several years through various methods, including dog shock collars, needles, pipes and wooden dowels.

Joseph Myhre, 44, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault, strangulation and other related offenses.

Officials say the investigation began on March 15 after Myhre’s wife met with police at the Einstein Medical Center Montgomery. The woman told investigators Myhre had punched her several times in the back of her head and fractured her skull inside their home in Collegeville, according to police. The woman said she drove herself to the hospital after Myhre fell asleep. Myhre was arrested and charged with assault.

As police continued to investigate, they determined Myhre had also physically abused his 11-year-old daughter and 13-year-old son, whom he home schooled over a six-year period, according to a criminal complaint. 

During an interview with police, Myhre's daughter described the various ways her father abused her over the years, investigators said. Myhre allegedly beat and abused her with several objects, including a lancet that he stuck underneath her fingernails and toenails, a remote controlled electric dog shock collar, needles, various sticks, PVC pipes, a wooden dowel, pliers and a shoehorn. He also allegedly punched her hundreds of times, placed his knees and feet on her stomach and strangled her and banged her head on the floor until she lost consciousness.

Myhre's son also told police his father had abused him hundreds of times since he was 5 years old, according to the criminal complaint. As with his sister, the abuse included being punched and kicked, being choked, being beaten with sticks and PVC pipes and being shocked with a dog collar, police said.  Both children also told police they had seen their father repeatedly abuse their mother, according to investigators.

Investigators also say they obtained a cell phone recording of Myhre beating his children as they screamed in pain and begged for him to stop.

Myhre was arraigned Friday night and was placed in the Montgomery County Correctional Facility on $1 million bail. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 19.


If you are experiencing domestic violence, you can reach out to the National Domestic Violence Hotline for help at 800.799.7233.

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