Authorities say a 37-year-old man was arrested last week for shooting and killing his neighbor's cattle in Larimer County, Colorado.
The Larimer County Sheriff's Office said it arrested Michael Hester on multiple charges stemming from the incident, including aggravated animal cruelty, second-degree criminal trespassing, theft of certain animals, and shooting across a public highway.
According to the announcement, Hester's neighbors called the police on him on April 1, saying that they saw him driving a UTV around their property while shooting at their livestock.
Deputies who arrived on the scene found seven dead cattle in various locations on the property and an eighth cow that had been critically injured and had to be euthanized. Then, they visited Hester and arrested him during the initial meeting.
Michael Hester was arrested for allegedly killing his neighbor's cattle. Credit: Larimer County Sheriff's Office
Jordan Yarber, who owned the dead cattle, told 9News that he thought Hester killed the cattle because they crossed over onto his property. Before the incident, he had never met Hester, who had moved into the area last July.
"What appalls me is he couldn't make a phone call and try to solve it peacefully," Yarber told the outlet, adding, "I don't want to be a bad neighbor, you know... If you call me and say hey, I want them out of here. I'll be right there."
According to the sheriff's office, under the Colorado "Open Range Law," livestock owners can let cattle graze without containment. The sheriff's office added that it enlisted the services of a brand inspector and livestock appraiser, who said that the total loss amounted to more than $30,000.
Joe Shellhammer, the county's undersheriff, who leads the office's operations division, called the crime "a disturbing disregard for life and livelihood."
"We know how much these animals mean to our ranching community, and we won't tolerate actions that threaten their welfare," Shellhammer said.
