Dead goats, crows and goose pulled from North Oconee River

By Joe Johnson

Several animal carcasses were found floating in a North Oconee River last week.

The gruesome discovery was made September 24th by a University of Georgia student who was conducting wildlife research with a trail camera in the river park off Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway.

Police noted that all of the animals had been decapitated, possibly for religious or other ritualistic purposes.

“It is worth noting that none of these animals appeared to have been butchered or killed for consumption as food because the carcasses were largely intact and retained fur, hooves, tails and so on,” the police report says.

“These killings serve no other purpose than to satiate the violent tendencies of someone who kills animals simply to kill them,”

The case is being investigated by detectives for the crimes of aggravated cruelty to animals and illegal disposal of dead animals.