Sedgwick woman reportedly killed by husband was an adopter of dogs, cats and pigs

Pets, and lots of them, occupy the photos on Amber Slankard’s Facebook page.

Sometimes they have dyed hair or clothes on. Often the photos show the dogs, cats and pigs lying together or with Slankard. The red-headed woman’s Facebook page says she’s a “witchy, animal-loving vegan.”

The 40-year-old Sedgwick woman was killed by her husband on Friday, the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Saturday night. Her husband, 42-year-old Craig Thomas Johnston, was arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder after police responded to the couple’s home and found a woman with “severe injuries,” according to Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office Col. Brian White. She later died at an area hospital.

Slankard had more than a dozen animals out at the farm home south of Sedgwick and helped hundreds of more animals in her lifetime, according to friend Kath Helfrich.

“Her little farm home was filled with rescued cats, dogs, and pigs,” Helfrich said in a message. “Some were blind and some were deaf, but it didn’t matter to her. She rescued more than one animal off the streets.”

Helfrich first met Slankard when she was a veterinary technician at VCA Central Kansas Animal Hospital in South Hutchinson. Slankard later became Helfrich’s first volunteer and board president at an organization she co-founded called the Hutchinson Street Cat Society.

The nonprofit has helped neuter more than 500 cats, Helfrich said.

Slankard also fostered and volunteered with the Wichita Animal Action League or WAAL.

“She dedicated her life to helping animals in need and leaves behind a legacy of hundreds whom she has helped on to better lives,” WAAL Executive Director Christy Fischer said in a message.

Slankard was involved in several area rescue groups and “very active” in pig rescue, Fischer said. Slankard also had an affinity for pit bulls.

Her love of animals had no bounds, according to her mother, Malvonna Slankard.

Malvonna Slankard said her daughter grew up on a farm and had all kinds of animals, including pet rats. As Amber got older, she would nurse baby squirrels and opossums before letting them back into the wild.

She would go into stores with them wrapped up in a pouch.

“No one even knew she had it with her,” Malvonna said.

Amber Slankard adopted her first pig, Frank, more than a decade ago and kept adopting more potbelly pigs. She would housebreak them and washed them regularly, Malvonna Slankard said.

The pigs required locks to be put on the cabinets and refrigerator. The fridge was the first place Frank would check when he came in from outside, Malvonna Slankard said.

Amber has a tattoo on her arm of her pigs holding balloons.

She had a stroke a few years ago that affected her mobility and speech but she continued to take in animals, Malvonna Slankard said.

Helfrich called Amber an angel.

“She lived an anti-animal-cruelty life and was a dedicated vegan,” Helfrich said. “She was an angel on earth. She had a wicked sense of humor and never held her tongue if something needed to be said out loud. You always knew exactly what she was thinking.”

Amber Slankard and Johnston filed for a marriage license in October 2019, records show.

Earlier this year, he was arrested on suspicion of domestic battery and criminal threat after officers were called about a domestic-violence incident at their home, officials said.

Court records show he was arrested June 22. No charges have been filed in the case, according to court records.

Malvonna Slankard said she knew about Johnston’s arrest early this year. Her daughter said she was going to file for divorce but that changed when Johnston was released from jail, she said.

“We advised against it, but she went back to him because she loved him,” Malvonna Slankard said.

Officers were called about a woman injured at around 9:18 a.m. on Friday. Amber Slankard was pronounced dead at 8:05 p.m that night., Helfrich said.

Frank is going to Kansas City Pig Rescue Network along with Slankard’s approximately seven other pigs. Slankard’s mother took one of her daughter’s favorite dogs, Bullfrog, to remember her daughter by. The other cats and dogs have already found homes with the help of Slankard’s coworkers at the Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Hospital of Wichita.

“She will be missed tremendously by all, including animals,” Helfrich said.

This story was originally published October 24, 2020 at 6:39 PM.