SUBJECT: CATTLE DEATHS UNEXPLAINED FILE: UFO3260 ************************************************************************ CATTLE DEATHS UNEXPLAINED IN DEKALB, MARSHALL COUNTIES The Weekly Post, Feb. 4, 1993. By STEPHEN SMITH Something is happening to livestock in the area that farmers cannot explain. The phenomena is commonly referred to as cattle mutilation. The classic mutilation scenario is a startling sight for farmers. The animal is found dead with individual eyes, organs, tongues, teeth, and sex organs removed. The parts are usually cut away with a circular incision, and blood is seldom visible on or near the animal. Between eight to 10 such mutilations have occurred in Marshall County, primarily in the Ablertville area. Chief of Detectives Tommy Cole said that those incidents cannot be explained. "We can't determine what has happened to the animals," he said. "The ground is not disturbed, and no markings are found." Cole himself was a victim, losing a black angus steer to the mutilations. Sixteen different tests were conducted by Auburn University on the animal, but the cause of death could not be determined. Within the last few weeks, the mutilations have moved across the county line into DeKalb. On January 16, Margaret Pope discovered a cow behind their home around 7 a.m. "I wasn't surprised to see her dead," Mrs. Pope said, "because she was in bad shape the day before." At the time, Mrs. Pope assumed that coyotes had attacked the animal. However, after hearing of the events in Marshall County, she realized that their cow's death fit the pattern. "A four-inch round circle was gone out of her shoulder," she says. "Just the skin and hair was gone, no meat. Her upper and lower teeth were cut out with a clean cut, and her milk sac was gone." There have also been mutilations near Lathamville, between Peek's Corner and Lebanon, and near Dawson. The Dawson incident was discovered last Saturday. A black angus cow was found by a farmer in his pasture, the flesh of its jaw stripped away to the bone and its tongue removed. The animal's colon and sex organs had also been cored out. This particular carcass had a light-colored powder and paste on and around it. The substance would immediately turn into a milky liquid when it contacted metal. Investigators could not explain the origin or nature of the substance. The latest in the series of mutilations was discovered Tuesday morning in the pasture of a Grove Oak farmer. Three head of cattle were discovered dead, two of which `fit the pattern of the current mutilations,' according to a local veterinarian who examined the animals. The flesh from the jawbone of one of the animals was completely stripped away, clean down to the bone. The other had its colon and sex organs cored out, and well as its milk sac removed. Investigators fear that many animals which have been mutilated in DeKalb and Marshall counties have been destroyed by the farmers and the incident not reported. Many are likely concerned that public ridicule would follow, and do not wish to make the names or the incident known. Investigators understand their concerns, and are willing to work with farmers to ensure anonymity. "We still need to gather evidence in a timely manner, to actually take tissue samples from the mutilated animals," says Officer Ted Oliphant of the Fyffe Police Department. Oliphant is handling anonymous reports of mutilations. "While we encourage everyone who has had this happen to one of their animals to immediately contact their local law enforcement agency," says Oliphant, "we understand that many will still be reluctant to do so." Investigations into the mutilations are being headed by DeKalb County Assistant Chief Deputy Dale Orr. He may be contacted at 854-3801. Oliphant may be reached at 623-2222 or 623-1057. In Marshall County, mutilations should be reported to Tommy Cole, Albertville Police Department, at 878-1212. "To assist those wishing to remain anonymous," Oliphant says, "an alternative reporting procedure has been extablished. All we want to do is get tissue samples, take photographs, gather evidence quickly, and be on our way. "We believe that the farmers still want to know what has happened to their animals," Oliphant continued. "If requested, no police reports will be gathered and anonymity will be guaranteed." Oliphant says that certain facts about the mutilations lead to uncertain conclusions. "Evidence of high heat around the cuts suggests the probability of electro-cauterization, and rules out the possibility of predatory animals. "In many cases," Oliphant continued, "the mutilators match or exceed current surgical technology. In the body tissue, evidence of high heat, above 350 degrees, has caused rapid cell destruction. The blood has been thoroughly removed from some of the animals and, to date, pathology examinations have not revealed the cause of death." In many cases, there are no footprints or tracks of any kind on the ground where the mutilations have occurred. "Mutilation really isn't a proper term for what's happening to these animals," Oliphant says. "This is high-technology surgery being performed in the field without being witnessed and leaving little evidence behind, other than the carcasses." End of Article. INVESTIGATORS BAFFELED AS CATTLE MUTILATIONS CONTINUE By Stephen Smith Investigations into the mysterious deaths of cattle throughout DeKalb and Marshall counties have yielded few clues for local authorities. The number of strange mutilations has now risen to 21. Number 20 was discovered in the New Harmony area of Marshall County last Thursday, Feb 4. Among those responding to the scene were Sheriff Harold Richards and Assistant Chief Deputy Dale Orr of the DeKalb Sheriff's Office, Chief of Detectives Tommy Cole of the Ablertville Police Department, Alabama State Trooper Post Comander Sgt. Ron Ogletree, and Ted Oliphant of the Fyffe Police Department. In the pasture of Waynon Buttram, a cow was found which had its jaw stripped of flesh in a circle. According to Oliphant, a large amount of blood was present on both the animal and the ground around it, indicating that the animal was still alive during the mutilation. The cow was moved to a laboratory for a full autopsy, but preliminary analysis failed to show what had killed the animal. Samples of tissue and fluid from this same cow have been sent to a different laboratory in hopes of unveiling a part of the mystery. A second set of laboratory results of an autopsy performed by an Albert- ville veterinarian and the Auburn University of an earlier case again failed to reveal the cause of death. A total of three different laborabories are now being used to analyze various pieces of evidence which are being collected at the scenes of the mutilations. The most recent mutilation was discovered Saturday morning in the Crossville area. Three local officers responded to a call from a farmer who had found a young calf dead, lying within 25 feet of TVA high voltage lines and within 75 feet of a TVA high-voltage tower. Many mutilations have occurred in close proximity to such power lines. The responding officers felt the animal had been killed by predators, and did not file a report. However, Oliphant arrived on the scene shortly after the three officers departed, and discovered that straight-line incisions had been made on the right back side of the animal. Inside the body cavity, Oliphant found that the trachea and esophagus had been cut evenly, "as if with scissors," says Oliphant. Approximately seven inches of the tissue was missing. "An overview of the body showed that a large oval of flesh and hide had been removed," Oliphant said, adding that the farmer agreed it did not appear to be the work of a predatory animal. A veterinarian was called to the scene the following day and examined the dead calf. "He determined that the calf had absolutely not been killed by a predator," Oliphant said. "He said that he couldn't tell what had killed the animal." Another mystery linked to the cattle mutilations is the unexplained presence of helicopters in the area where the mutilations occur. The Crossville farmer whose calf was mutilated told investigators that the sound of helicopters in the vicinity of his field woke him up in the early hours of Wednesday morning, Feb. 3. "This man used to fly helicopters in Vietnam," Oliphant related, "and he should well know what one sounds like." Also, investigators of the New Harmony mutilation witnessed a helicopter flying over the field as they studied the scene. When an autopsy of the animal was being performed at a laboratory, a black helicopter was seen flying directly over the facility. "Various types and colors of helicopters continue to be seen in the vicninity of these incidents," Oliphant related. The federal Aviation Administration has not confirmed the indentification of any of these aircraft. The New Harmony mutilated cow was the first one actually viewed by Orr or Ogletree. "It was truly like nothing I've ever seen done to an animal," Ogletree commented. "It's strange," Orr said. "I've never seen anything like it." Ogletree added that one of the more perplexing aspects of the incident was the lack of any evidence surrounding the animal. "You've got a 1,200 pound cow," he said, "and yet there are no visible signs of a struggle." The investigation into these strange occurrences is continuing, and farmers are urged to report mutilations to one of the authorities handling the case. Names will be withheld from public record for those wishing to remain anonymous. Orr may be contacted at 845-3801; Oliphant at 623-2222 or 623-1057; and Cole at 878-1212. End of Article... ********************************************************************* * -------->>> THE U.F.O. BBS - http://www.ufobbs.com/ufo <<<------- * *********************************************************************