This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The strange deaths of several young cows has Daggett County investigators puzzled.
Three young cows were found dead of "unknown causes" in the past two weeks in ranching fields around Manila, said Daggett County Sheriff's spokesperson Susie Potter on Wedneday.
While their cause of death remains a mystery, all showed evidence of "postmortem mutilation," leading investigators to suspect foul play, according to a sheriff's office release.
While Potter could not disclose how the cows were mutilated, she said that it was obviously the work of humans, not other animals.
The deaths resemble an unsolved case that occurred about the same time last year, when two cows in the Manila area died for unknown reasons — and were mutilated postmortem, Potter said.
They are tough cases to solve, since the cows are out in wide-open fields with little chance of there being witnesses, Potter pointed out.
But if anyone has seen anything suspicious, or knows anything about these cases, Daggett County Sheriff Jerry Jorgensen wants them to call the sheriff's office at 435-784-3255 or 435-789-4222. All tips will be kept confidential, according to the release.
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