MEDIA RELEASE: Chickasaw County - Still No Justice for Massacred Horses and Donkeys

NO INDICTMENT IN GRAND JURY HEARING FOR MASSACRED CHICKASAW COUNTY EQUINE HERD

Family Considers Civil Suit to Bring Perpetrators to Justice

CONTACT: Doll Stanley, doll@idausa.org, (662) 809-4483

IMAGES: http://bit.ly/HoustonHorseGunner

OKOLONA, MS (March 21, 2018) – In Defense of Animals, the international organization that runs the Justice for Animals Campaign in Mississippi, has learned that the Mississippi Third District Grand Jury was unable to return indictments for the four people suspected of gunning down a herd of horses and donkeys in Chickasaw County, citing insufficient evidence. The Grand Jury convened on March 14, 2018, hearing evidence in the case of the massacre which left nine animals dead and two seriously wounded.

“We must not let the sociopaths who slew these precious animals escape justice,” said Doll Stanley, who heads In Defense of Animals’ Justice for Animals Campaign. “In Defense of Animals will stand with the Christian family to seek the evidence that will nail the heartless monsters who unleashed such horror and suffering for animals who innocently wandered.”

On September 19, 2017, Dalton Christian and his family who live in the unincorporated community of Van Vleet, Mississippi, discovered that their nine horses and two donkeys were missing. Gunfire had been heard and the search for the equines ended in horror. 

The herd had wandered onto a neighboring property and been mowed down in a hail of bullets. Seven of the horses and the two donkeys were killed. Two seriously wounded horses made it home while several mortally wounded horses who had struggled to make it home to safety perished, one who had been shot five times in the face and head.

Authorities had the animals buried the following day, frustrating the Christian family as the numerous bullets that tore through the animals’ bodies had not been retrieved for evidence.

Tip-offs as to the suspects’ identities and locations of weapons used in the crime came in and were provided to law enforcement and the District Attorney. One tipster reported that she overheard a conversation regarding the crime in a medical office the day after the shooting. She reported that a woman freely told who shot the horses and where the guns were stashed.

Months into the investigation, law enforcement approached Mr. Christian with an offer from his neighbor to financially settle with him for the loss of the herd. This offer was rejected and only served to fuel the families thirst for justice.

This atrocity shocked even the most seasoned reporters, law enforcement, and animal cruelty investigators. It was later discovered that a fallen tree took part of a fence down, letting the horses and donkeys wander onto the neighboring property where workers were harvesting corn. It is believed that the workers are responsible for cruelly gunning the horses down with rapid-fire weapons.

This crime is considered a crime of felony injury to “livestock” and may also involve conspiracy. A reward fund for this heinous crime quickly mounted to $10,000, but it requires action from the District Attorney.

“Adding insult to injury, the Christians were not notified that the Grand Jury had concluded without handing down indictments,” stated Justice for Animals campaigner, Doll Stanley. “The family is now considering a civil suit that might bring further evidence to light and would give a measure of closure to their heartache.”

Anyone with information leading to the arrest and conviction of the slayers should contact Chickasaw County Sheriff James D. (Jim) Meyers at (662) 456-2339.

In Defense of Animals’ Justice for Animals Campaign is working tirelessly to advance the cause for justice and show state legislators that the people of Mississippi are united against senseless and horrific animal abuse. Campaign members are aligning with Mississippi judges, prosecuting attorneys, law enforcement officials, legislators, animal advocates, and concerned citizens to pass meaningful regional ordinances that will protect animals when state statutes fail. In Defense of Animals has served in Mississippi for 25 years, aiding victims and law enforcement with hundreds of cruelty reports.

For more information, please visit www.idausa.org

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In Defense of Animals’ Justice for Animals Campaign is actively working with officials in communities, building a groundswell of support for establishing and amending city and county ordinances as part of its campaign to show state lawmakers that Mississippians will not tolerate animal cruelty.

In Defense of Animals is an international animal protection organization located in San Rafael, Calif. dedicated to protecting animals’ rights, welfare, and habitats through education, outreach, and our hands-on rescue facilities in India, Africa, and rural Mississippi.