by Catherine Girard

A Quarter Horse was found slaughtered on May 29^th at a breeding/boarding farm in Summerfield, Florida.  The owner of the facility, at the 3900 block of SE 145^th Street, had checked the herd at feeding time on the previous day and all horses were accounted for. When she returned to feed the following day, all but one horse showed up for the feeding. The owner soon discovered the missing horse butchered and dismembered, and called the Marion County police for assistance.

Law Enforcement posted warnings about horse theft in December in Marion, Manatee, and Sumter counties after horse theft crimes were committed there. It is believed that the horses that had been stolen were slaughtered for their meat in Palmetto. Although a photo of a suspect was released at that time, it is not known if he is involved in the horse killings. In March law enforcement was actively pursuing an investigation into a Quarter Horse mare being slaughtered in Bushnell, Sumter County.