Staff Sgt. Ray Kelleher of the Salt Lake County Animal Services Department poses with a map that pinpoints the locations where mutilated cats and one dog have been found.
NCat Mutilations May Be Related Friday, July 19, 2002
The mutilation of a cat in the Avenues this week may have been the second such incident in the neighborhood in the past two weeks, animal services officials said Thursday. After hearing the story of a 7-year-old neutered male cat who was found mutilated Wednesday morning, an Avenues resident called Salt Lake County Animal Services to report he had found a dead cat near his home a couple of weeks ago, said Temma Martin, animal services spokeswoman. The cat, which did not belong to the man, had been gutted and decapitated, and the man thought it had been attacked by another animal, Martin said. He disposed of the body, which he said looked like it was cut open from the side. The man lives in the area of J Street and 600 North, Martin said. The mutilated cat found Wednesday was near H Street and 500 North. A hole larger than a tennis ball had been cut into its side, and its intestines had been removed and set beside the body. Its heart was missing, authorities said. The two cases sound "similar enough" to be linked, Martin said Thursday. The Humane Society of Utah is offering a $2,500 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible, said Gene Baierschmidt, the society's executive director. Also, a Taylorsville couple stepped forward Thursday to add $500 to that reward. Steve Russell is offering the reward with his wife, Sarah. Anyone with information on the case can call county authorities at 743-7045, or John Fox, cruelty investigator for the Humane Society of Utah, at 261-2919, Ext. 210.
NSalt Lake City, Utah
Since May 2002, seven mutilated cats- only the front halves left behind - have been reported in Salt Lake City, Utah. The first week of November, a resident found the front half of an "adult orange tabby" in a cemetery. Right behind the cat's front shoulders, a precise, bloodless cut had severed the rest of the body which was missing.
Temma Martin, spokeswoman for the Salt Lake County Animal Services, told reporters, "Whether it's a predator or a deranged person, something is getting people's cats. You just never think it's going to happen to you. It's too dangerous to let your pets wander. This needs to be taken very seriously."
In Salt Lake City, the Humane Society of Utah sent a letter to the city's police chief in March urging that he have investigators question accused Elizabeth Smart kidnapper Brian David Mitchell about a string of cat killings.
The letter cited Mitchell's proximity to the neighborhood where some of the killings took place, the fact that the mutilations "indicated a ritualistic or cultlike motivation" and Mitchell's alleged past cruelty to animals.
The theory proved wrong when investigators discovered Mitchell was out of the state when three of the cats were killed.
Despite his skepticism, Lockwood said it is possible a person or people are responsible for the cat mutilations.
"I wouldn't rule it out," he said. "I think it is possible that some of these are attributable to people. I think it is extremely unlikely that an individual or a group of individuals are cruising between Denver and Aurora and Salt Lake in search of cats - that's extremely unlikely."
well ... this one can't be blamed on foxes. multiple cats found in Ephraim Sept. 4/03 laid out in a pentagram.
"That's the one thing we never had in the Avenues case, is any clear human involvement." said Temma Martin, spokeswoman for Salt Lake County Animal Services.
Evidence shows pets fell prey to den of hungry predators
{ So Foxes can make surgical cuts and drain blood? The Predator theory just dont explain what is going on here. What predator, fox or otherwise leaves half its kill, time and time again? worldwide? .......UUFOH }
A Utah State University professor said that whoever is responsible for recent cat mutilations in Denver and Salt Lake City could present a danger to humans as well. "Very clearly, people who have this history are much more likely to be coming in contact with the criminal justice system and are more dangerous to human, welfare as well," said Frank Ascione, a professor in the department of psychology and adjunct professor in family and human development at USU. (Herald Journal, 07/05/03)
Frank Ascione, a Utah State University psychology professor, has done a lot of research on the link between animal cruelty and human cruelty. The link isn't always there, he found, but three out of five times people convicted of animal abuse end up being arrested for other, more serious crimes. (Deseret News, 07/06/03)
11 cats have been killed and mutilated in Salt Lake City. Cats have been found with holes cut out of their sides or the cat's entire front or back missing. Some cats were decapitated, others gutted.
We will be working with several researchers and organizations in our investigation on the Salt Lake City Cat Mutilations We would like to possibly compare the cat mutilations with other cases, mainly Cattle Mutilations. We would also like to be informed of any future occurances of mutilations and examine the animal/s to make comparisons to other mutilation cases. (cuts, burns, traces,etc.) if possible. We hope to be of assistance or offer another view into this ongoing investigation. We offer our services to this cause and hopefully end the bizarre killings in the Ave's of Salt Lake City
This Investigation is included in a new video documentary
'The Unknown Zone'
NUPDATES:
N> Reward is now up to $8,500.00
N>Now in contact with the 'Investigator in charge.'
Lt. Troy Wood Field Supervisor / Special Investigator for
Salt Lake County Animal Services.
N>6/26/03 The Humane Society of Utah is not the lead agency in the cat mutilation investigation. The lead agency is Salt Lake County Animal Services, assisted by the Salt Lake City Police Department. You should direct any inquiries to those agencies.
Thank you, again, for your inquiry. Sincerely,
John Paul Fox Chief Investigator (jfox@utahhumane.org)
N> 6/26/03 Your message was forwarded to me from John Fox at the Utah Humane Society. I applaud your efforts in researching the incidents of cat mutilations here. I am forwarding your request and comments to Detective Sanders & Captain Dencker that are in charge of these incidents.Peggy Call, Crime Analyst SLCPD, UT
N> Investigators in Salt Lake City discovered an animal den at the top of a street where half the killings and mutilations occurred, said Temma Martin, spokeswoman for Salt Lake County Animal Services. She said investigators are trying to determine what animal lives or lived in the den and if it is connected to the case.
"We are constantly back and forth between looking at humans and animals," she said
N> Only three of the 19 cats had known owners
Mutilated Half Cat
We have to start asking ourselves if this person is capable of doing this to a human victim.
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