Teens arrested in slaying of animals

CHAZY — Less than a week after several sheep and a llama were found shot to death on Chateaugay farmer Kirby Selkirk's property and a dairy cow was shot and killed in Ellenburg, state police in Chazy announced the arrests of two teens, ages 16 and 17, in connection with the crimes.

Officials said more arrests are anticipated.

On Wednesday, troopers arrested Brian D. Cole, 16, Clinton, and charged him with third-degree criminal mischief, a felony, and cruelty to animals, a misdemeanor under Agriculture and Markets law. State police also arrested Alex R. Hough, 17, Mooers Forks, charging him with cruelty to animals.

"They told us they made it their highest priority," Mr. Selkirk's wife, Jo Ellen Saumier, said of the arrests. "We're very glad. People in Chateaugay were afraid at night, thinking of someone going around with a gun and killing."

State police are continuing to follow leads and conduct interviews.

Mr. Cole and Mr. Hough were processed Wednesday at the state police barracks in Chazy. Mr. Hough was to be released on an appearance ticket for Town Court. Mr. Cole will be arraigned in local justice court, according to a news release from state police headquarters at Ray Brook.

Mr. Selkirk and Ms. Saumier are well known in Franklin County. The slaughter of their sheep, which were in a pen, and the guard llama Pepe drew much attention. Other area farmers were quick to pitch in to offer a reward.

"Kirby told police he wanted to go all the way in prosecuting whoever did this," Ms. Saumier said as she was selling lamb and wool products Wednesday afternoon at the Malone Farmers Market.

Market shoppers and acquaintances came by steadily to offer their support.

"Believe me, these incidents got a lot of attention in Clinton and Franklin counties," said Investigator Patrick Mitchell of the state police at Plattsburgh, who were handling media inquiries earlier in the day.

The shootings at the Selkirk property on County Route 35 in Chateaugay happened early Friday. Mr. Selkirk woke to find his herd dog by the porch, which was highly unusual. He and the dog walked to the pasture, and Mr. Selkirk found blood and the slaughtered sheep and llama.

One sheep was dead, one was injured so badly it had to be put down and a couple more had been dragged off. The sheep were breeders. The llama was a guard against coyotes.

Ms. Saumier said the bullets the suspects used were so powerful that they cleanly pierced metal farm equipment near where the sheep were killed.

Pepe, she said, was "a very gentle creature. He probably came gliding out of the night. He knows people sometimes give him grain, and he loves grain."

"They shot this poor animal because he wanted a treat. A coward would do that."

The news from Chateaugay emerged Monday, about the same time as the report of a dairy cow being shot to death in Ellenburg, Clinton County.

State police at Malone are investigating a similar incident in which a pet llama was shot to death in Westville.

Justine Pehush said Tuesday that two weeks ago she and her family woke up and found their pet llama, Gizmo, shot to death in their pasture. They live on McQueen Road, on the Westville/Fort Covington town line.

"I feel very violated now. I don't know why anyone would do this," Mrs. Pehush said. "Gizmo was a gift, and was very friendly. He'd never hurt a human being."

The stark white llama was shot during a full moon, meaning he was easy to see. Her family is the only one on the road that has animals, she said, so someone had to deliberately come there to hunt their pet.

"The poor thing died by suffocating. It drowned in its own blood," she said. "His left eye was missing, too, and it was removed so cleanly, it doesn't seem as if another animal could have done that."

Anyone with information on these cases can call state police at 1 (518) 483-5000.

Johnson Newspapers writer Darcy Fargo contributed to this report.