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Update from the Washoe
County Sheriff
Jan. 6, 1999 |
Virginia Range South of Lockwood, NV
On December 27, 1998, deputies from
the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office and the Storey County Sheriff’s Office
responded to the Virginia Range south of Lockwood on a report of a number of dead horses
that had been shot. Deputies responding to the area, did locate a number of horses that
had in fact, been shot. Initially, deputies located eight dead horses and one wounded
horse that had to be dispatched at the scene. All of the horses appeared to have been shot
multiple times before dying.
Since the horses were killed on private property, the Nevada Department of Business and
Industry Division of Agriculture assumed jurisdiction through it’s Bureau of
Livestock Identification. At the request of the Bureau of Livestock Identification, the
Washoe County Sheriff’s Office and the Storey County Sheriff’s Office are
providing investigative and forensic assistance.
On December 28, 1998, detectives and deputies from the Washoe County
Sheriff’s Office and the Storey County Sheriff’s Office returned to the scene to
assist the Bureau of Livestock Identification with the investigation. The RAVEN unit, the
Washoe County Sheriff’s Office helicopter was used for aerial support to locate
additional dead or dying horses.
During he field investigation that concluded January 5, 1999,
twenty nine (29) dead horses were located and processed for cause of death and additional
items of evidence. Five (5) additional wounded horses had to be dispatched, one of which
may have been ill, on the advice of an on scene State Veterinarian, David Thain.
Investigators located and recovered various items of evidentiary value that is being
processed by the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office Crime Lab.
A staffing is held every day to discuss the evidence that has been processed and the
leads that have been investigated by each agency. To this date, we have not focused on any
one individual or group. The calls are continually processed through Secret Witness and
the individual agencies and have uncovered some viable suspects. The Washoe County
Sheriff’s Office Crime Lab has finished processing the last of the evidence collected
and will present their finding on Friday, January 8, 1999.
The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office Detective Division has confirmed that the wild
horse killings are not related to the arrest of Christopher Merritt for the sniper attack
on I-80.
The Virginia Range Wildlife Protective Association
is the only organization authorized to coordinate donation for the reward fund at this
time. They have confirmed pledges totaling $35,000. In order to reduce the possibility of
informant withholding information in the hopes of collecting more money, the reward will
be capped at the $35,000.
Should it be determined that an increase in the reward amount be necessary, they are
willing to reactivate their efforts immediately through the use of their web site, fax and
telephone communications.
For further inquiries the following numbers have been provided:
| For media
personnel and releases: |
Lieutenant
Janice Lee |
Pagers 861-3032
Office
775-328-3320 |
| |
Captain James Lopey |
Office
775-328-3320 |
Information on possible suspects:
|
Undersheriff Larson
Storey Co. Sheriff’s Office |
Office
775-847- 0950 |
| |
Secret Witness |
775-322-4900 |
| Reward Information: |
Virginia Range Wildlife Protective Association |
775-741-0180
VRWPA Web Site
http://members.aol.com/vrwpa/
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