◆ SpookStack

2 CATTLE MUTILATIONS During the afternoon of April 20, 1979, law enforcement officers met with U.S. Attorney R.E. THOMPSON for a special meeting. At this conference were representatives from the FBI and numerous state law enforcement officers from . New Mexico. Also in attendance were investigators from Nebraska, Colorado, Montana, and Arkansas. During the conference emphasis was placed on an attempt to determine the most appropriate way of approaching the solution of the cattie mutilations. The officials decided that direction for the investigation should be the responsibility of one of three agencies -- the FBI, the District Attorney's Office in Santa Fe, New Mexico, which has applied for the LEAA Grant, or the New Mexico State Police. U.S. Attorney THOMPSON concluded that within the next two weeks a determination would be made which of the three agencies would be the primary investigative group and the agency's responsibility for the collection of data regarding the mutilations. U.S. Attorney THOMPSON pointed out that the FBI would have to receive approval from Washington, District Attorney MARTINEZ' group would have to receive the LEAA Grant, and the New Mexico State Police would have to obtain clearance from its headquarters. During this session of the conference, investigators from Arkansas pointed out that they have examined 28 cases of cattle mutilations and it is their conclusion that all cases were the work of intentional mutilators and not of predators. The examination of carcasses submitted by their investigators have been done by the Oklahoma State University Forensic Lab. The investigator present at the conference from Montana _expressed his opinion that carcasses found in Montana were also mutilated by deliberate efforts and not by predators. All investigators present dirim this session recommended that there be a central collection unit which could coordinate information from all areas. Also, all investigators recommended that a standard procedure and form be adopted for the investi-~ gation of future mutilations. They recommended that evidence be examined by a qualified veterinary pathologist. -5*—