Idaho Rancher hit by mutilation of Cattle

 

Monday, January 2, 1989

Idaho Rancher hit by mutilation of Cattle................

Malad City, Idaho

  Bizarre cattle mutilations--in which the animals repoductive organs have been

cut away- don`t intimidate rancher Tom Williams, although such incidents

frighten several of his friends.  Williams, who owns a cattle ranch about ten

miles south of Malad city, has lost two animals to mutilation in the past couple

of years.  The most recent one was killed last month about a mile from his home.

 He and others suspect the animals organs are used in a Satanic cult rituals.

Mutilations have been occuring in the area for about ten years. There have been

news reports in the past of such occurrences, though responsibility has never

been fixed.

  Friends ask whether he and his wife are afraid to live "where crazies come

down to mutilate cattle". About two years ago, one of his cows was killed about

one-eighth of a mile from his home. A circular incision was made on its

stomach(this was typed and put on computer in Boise, Idaho, by Don

Mason....Computers-on-Line...) and the animals heart, entrails, ears and a tail

were taken.

  The next year, Williams kept an extra close eye on his livestock and nothing

happened. This year after he relaxed his guard again, he lost an animal.

Reported mutilation incidents share some similarities: The animals didn`t

struggle, no footprints were ever found around the animals, there was no blood

around the cuts and the incidents usually happen a couple of weeks after

halloween.

  On the same day Williams found a dead four hundred pound Hereford steer, his

neighbor Rex Daniels lost a 1200 pound registered Hereford cow that would have

calved in the spring. In the morning, Williams went to feed his calves as he

always does and spotted a dead one lying on the ground +bout 200 yards from his

mother in laws house.

  At first he thought that it might have bloated, but when he saw the precise

incisions and missing genitals, he knew the cattle mutilators had struck again.

Williams contacted law enforcement officials. They took samples of meat and

hide, and after lab testing, he should know in a couple of months what killed

the animals.

  He suspects the calf was shot with some type of poison to kill it instantly. A

pin hole was found on its right hip. "There were no bullet holes and virtually

no marks that you could see".

 Both mutilations must have been done quickly by some experts, he speculated.

 "Someone understands what they are doing, they`ve done it before".  All the

cuts were made with such a sharp instrument that hair on the animal was

literally cut in two, Williams said.  I`ve skinned and butchered a lot of cattle

he said; and "I can`t even cut a hide or leather that perfectly, someone had a

steady hand".

This was reprinted from the Idaho Statesman of January 2, 1989