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(eh C SUBJECT: Steer mutilation, dJannary 29, 1279, Torrance County, BM - Sergeant O'Dell of the Torranse County Sheriff's Deparwment called the Albucucrque Office early in the afternocn of January 29, 1979, to report wat he had Giscovered the first reported cattle wutilation in Torrance County, and wanted information on whom he should report it to. SFDOM called O'Dell and was told the following: In response to a telephone call from Samnuel N. Hindi, O'S¢e11 arrived at 2a location near the villaze of Duran, ici, at apprexirateiy 11 a.m. on Jannasy 2%, 1979, and found the carcass of a six month old steer that had apparently been xecentiy mutilated. O*Dell said the carcéess vas stili wars enough to relt the snow around it. O'Dell indicated that he nad been follewing news reports of previous mutilations in Rio Arriba County and believed that the Torrance County mutilation was the “freshest” ever discovered. He calles because he thought it would be helpful for investigators to have a fresh ruti-~ Jation to ¢xacine and sudiect to tests. __O'Dell said the steer's scrotum and penis jad been removed vith surgical Preesseen ~~ a festure cocoon to all previous mutilations -- and indicared that patchss of hair around the carcass seemed to indicate that the steer hat been froeied oar be 24 - = fo -—_ alt srevious mutes laeinne L heed Catena Saw Oe! =e Net baer tbe les ae another feature ction ee ate gear AW pec ole OF) LlOns She steer's intestines had been removed threvgh the bole where the secrotvo had been cut out, but were not disturbed. O'Dell felt that an aninzal would have gone directly to the intestines. The steer's tengue was not removed as in previous mutilations, but the insides of the ears appeared to have been “beveled” out with a sharp instrument. | O'Dell notified the stzte Gsme and Fish Department, the State Police Crine tab in Santa Fe, and the Kew Mexico Livestock Soard. The State Police Crine Lab apparently notified State Police Officer Gabe Valdez of Chama, the officer who hes investigated most of the mutilations ever the rust 18 sonths. In the interin, the Livestock Board removed the carcass and apparentiy froze it. Valdez later contuctee the Torrance County Sheriff and was to have gone to Torrance County on January 30 to investigate. 5 #** In response to your question about whether any of the mutilations have occurred onyfeceral jena Officer Valdez informs me that eight sutilations - were Ciscovered on the Gicarilla Apache Reser fations ‘and seven on the Santa fixe Pueblo. There have been & total OF 65 cattle “patilations, and six rse sutilations, reported in New Mexico since 1975. Forty-five of the cattle mutilations and four of tha horse cutilations occurre2 in 19728. cee ate a Maa Ae A a eR we ae ee RTE RL SR A ree ee fe Eo MRS PE Pe EE FE a ee he at. eee EEE, Se AT APU Iae Ws CL eraaleoeg Dg Be Seng me EAT me eT