FRYEBURG — Police have released a new sketch of the suspect sought in the March 18 assault on the owner of a pet-grooming business on Lovewell Street.

“We are getting leads from all over the state and from New Hampshire as well,” Sgt. Joshua Potvin of the Fryeburg Police Department said.

The suspect is wanted for armed robbery, aggravated assault and cruelty to animals. He is described as 5 feet, 8 inches to 5 feet, 10 inches tall, 160 to 180 pounds with bad and missing teeth and acne on his cheeks.

According to police, the 46-year-old business owner was in her home at 169 Lovewell St. with her 2-year-old daughter in a separate room when a man walked into the Creature Comforts business, carrying a pregnant dog covered with a dirty, blue blanket. The man asked for help in delivering the puppies.

Police say that when the owner used the phone to call a veterinarian, the man suspected she was calling the police and began assaulting her with a statue. The owner grabbed her shears to defend herself, but the suspect took them away and stabbed her.

The woman suffered stab wounds from her head to her knees, and “defense wounds” on her arms from trying to fend off the suspect, police said. She was taken to Bridgton Hospital, where she was treated and released. She could not identify the man or the breed of the dog he was carrying, police said at the time.

The man fled the business after removing cash from the woman’s purse and a donation jar for animal rescue that was on the counter, according to police.

Potvin said the new sketch of the suspect has been distributed  to local businesses in town. It has produced a number of leads, but none that have led to an arrest.

“That’s one of the downfalls to sketches,” Potvin said, “but we would rather have a lot of information to sort through than none at all.” 

Anyone with information should contact Potvin at 207-935-3323 or email at [email protected].

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