2 high school students charged with killing 3 horses in Pike County

**Batpuff** · 02-01-2007, 02:31 AM

Two Pike County high school students were charged yesterday with killing three horses and wounding several others last week at an Eastern Kentucky strip mine, investigators said.

One of the horses was shot more than 50 times, police said.

The horses, among 29 animals owned by Virginia resident Trish Hayes for trail rides in Breaks Interstate Park, were grazing on a strip mine when the boys, both 17, arrived in a Toyota pickup about 4 p.m. on Jan. 25, said Pike County Chief Deputy Sheriff Melvin Sayers.

The two suspects told Sayers and Detective Richard Ray that they drove to the site to shoot rabbits. "But one of the juveniles jumped out and said, 'I don't like these horses,'" Sayers said, "and they just went to shooting horses."

Ray said one suspect dislikes the animals because he was once injured by a horse.

Drugs might have been involved in the incident, Sayers said. "They said they took a couple pills, but didn't know what kind," he said. "But one of these kids had a 3.4 grade-point average, so you're not dealing with little dummies."

The students told police they were armed with two .22-caliber rifles and a .22-caliber pistol. "They shot and killed three and wounded several others," Sayers said.

After the shooting started, the other horses fled, but the suspects apparently returned to their truck and chased them for about 7 miles on the strip mine, officials said. Hayes said one horse was shot six times, but survived.

Each of the suspects was charged with criminal mischief and cruelty to animals. The two were lodged in the Breathitt County Juvenile Detention Center and were scheduled for a hearing at 11 a.m. today in Pike juvenile court.

Pike District Judge Darrel Mullins "told us to charge both of them as juveniles and not to release their names" Sayers said.

One of the students turned 18 on Sunday, after the shooting.

Hayes said she hopes both are prosecuted as adults. "That's because, under juvenile laws in Kentucky, all they'll get is a slap on the wrists," she said.

Hayes, who has owned Breaks Stable in Breaks, Va., for 14 years, said she released most of the horses on the mountaintop strip mine next to her father's home in October after the riding season ended.

"You've got miles and miles of flat land where these horses graze and just stay," she said.

There are no fences, but the horses rarely strayed from the strip mine, Hayes said.

"When they're up there, they look like a band of wild horses, but when you drive up, they'll come right up to your window," Hayes said.

Sayers said area residents were able to identify both the suspects and the vehicle. "We just put the vehicle and names together and tracked them down," he said.

**15thRegionCrazy** · 02-01-2007, 02:36 AM

I'm glad they were caught... and hope they get a long sentence out of it

The Fan · 02-01-2007, 02:38 AM

idiots

**thetribe** · 02-01-2007, 02:47 AM

I really hope that they get the book thrown at them. I know both of these boys and they deserve more than what will probably come to them. I cannot tell you how upset and just pissed that this made me when I heard about it today. Could you be any stupider? I've never heard of either of them being injured by horses so I'm not sure if that part is true. They aren't the type to always cause trouble but they do mess with drugs and don't have the sense that God gave a goose. I would BEG for the judge to do as much as he can to them.

**BC75** · 02-01-2007, 03:19 AM

Wow, some people are just stupid.

**Playboy5** · 02-01-2007, 08:28 AM

And I hope they aren't slapped on the wrist like they do everything and everyone else with! To me this is as bad as murder. This is as cruel as a person can get and whose to say that it won't be a human next time because evidently they have no conscious about things! I say LIFE IN PRISON. See how much fun it is now! I don't want them to get the injection. I want them to be miserable for the rest of there sorry *** lives! I know I would love to meet both of these boys!
PLAYBOY5

**Playboy5** · 02-01-2007, 08:29 AM

Damn I get fired up even thinking of the ridiculous crap from these 2 punks!

**TidesHoss32** · 02-01-2007, 10:21 AM

i agree Playboy...dumbasses like this serve as NO benefit to society, so why should they ever be in it? I say put their punkasses in prison for the rest of their worthless lives and let those big bastards in prison turn them into women. Or tie them up to a freakin thoroughbred and let it drag them till it runs out of breath.

**Playboy5** · 02-01-2007, 12:20 PM

Totally agree!

**-STAT-** · 02-01-2007, 02:55 PM

Just plain stupid.

Coach Cline · 02-02-2007, 01:33 AM

I Knew the boys. and let me tell you...you all are wrong they are not worthless. i dont know what got into them but they are relatively nice boys...one was even a good friend, so before you go to sayin they are idiots, get to know them, i never expected it and yes it was really really stupid and i do beleive they should get something out of it but not the extent of "gettin locked up for life" i really never expected this from them..ever...and now i dont know what to think. i think they will learn their lesson.. one could be a really good boy, just needs some kind of guidance in life he has potential like anyone wouldnt beleive....they need to get their act together though i do agree that that was cruel

**Redneck** · 02-02-2007, 02:03 AM

Coach Cline Wrote:I Knew the boys. and let me tell you...you all are wrong they are not worthless. i dont know what got into them but they are relatively nice boys...one was even a good friend, so before you go to sayin they are idiots, get to know them, i never expected it and yes it was really really stupid and i do beleive they should get something out of it but not the extent of "gettin locked up for life" i really never expected this from them..ever...and now i dont know what to think. i think they will learn their lesson.. one could be a really good boy, just needs some kind of guidance in life he has potential like anyone wouldnt beleive....they need to get their act together though i do agree that that was cruel

You have got to be kiddin me. THEY ARE IDIOTS. Do you think it is alright to kill and wound INNOCENT horses. If I was the owner of those horses I would make damn sure these boys did some hard time. They went rabbit huntin and ended up killin 3 horses and wounded a couple more. One of the horses was shot MORE THAN 50, let me spell it out for ya, FIFTY TIMES. Don't tell me they aint idiots cause they are, bunch of punks.

**thetribe** · 02-02-2007, 04:41 AM

I knew them Coach and I won't say that either of them were idiots, I will say them neither of them had a heart and did NOT go up on that mountain hunting rabbits. Rabbits with a .22? You are KIDDING me. One is a trouble maker and the other has had everything in this world handed to him in life and does whatever he wants and gets away with it. Neither of them ever wanted to go to school, I doubt that one had a 3.0+ GPA. I wouldn't have expected it coming from ANYONE but when you go out looking to get into trouble, you can sure find it. If they did the same thing to people what would you want their sentence to be? Those horses did not at all to them and shooting them in the EYES, BETWEEN the eyes, OVER 50 times, shooting MORE THAN ONCE period is just plain retarded! It wasn't for any kind of self defense, they weren't in danger, they were being assholes! No one learns their lesson by getting away scratch free from stuff.

**Playboy5** · 02-02-2007, 08:25 AM

Coach Cline Wrote:I Knew the boys. and let me tell you...you all are wrong they are not worthless. i dont know what got into them but they are relatively nice boys...one was even a good friend, so before you go to sayin they are idiots, get to know them, i never expected it and yes it was really really stupid and i do beleive they should get something out of it but not the extent of "gettin locked up for life" i really never expected this from them..ever...and now i dont know what to think. i think they will learn their lesson.. one could be a really good boy, just needs some kind of guidance in life he has potential like anyone wouldnt beleive....they need to get their act together though i do agree that that was cruel

You have got to be kidding me as well and anyone else who has any sense whatsoever. One of the boys said that he never liked horses because one knocked him off when he was a young boy...That sounds like an idiot to me! For you to even come on here and say this is ridiculous! He shot 1 innocent beautiful animal over 50 times as it struggled to stay alive and finally just died after suffering as much as it could! This is just cruel and anyone that can be that cold hearted could give a damn about anything. Who is to say that it will not be a human next. I say lock them up and let someone "With some kind of guidance" named Bubba make them remember suffering like the horses did everyday in prison! Taking there side after an incident this cruel is as bad as the boys doing it!

**FOX SPORTS** · 02-02-2007, 11:03 AM

I heard WYMT named the boys.
I'll bet WYMT is in some deep doo doo for naming juveniles involved in a criminal action.

**Batpuff** · 02-02-2007, 11:17 AM

Well one isnt a Juv. he just turned 18

Doc Holliday · 02-02-2007, 11:41 AM

I would like to see them have to learn what horses are all about.

Geld them both.
I don't know them, but I do know something about people, if they had shot one just for the heck of it, then I would say fine them, give them some time to think about what they had done, 1000 hours community service, pay for the creature.

But to chase them for 6 miles, shooting one more 40 times, Im sorry but the bloodline stops as of now. That is pure disreguard for life, I say geld them, then give them a ticket to Iraq one way.

**FOX SPORTS** · 02-02-2007, 11:46 AM

Batpuff Wrote:Well one isnt a Juv. he just turned 18

Juvenile when the crime was committed and is being treated as a juvenile.
He is at the Juvenile facility in Breathitt Co, and the other is still a juvenile.
If YMT disclosed names, they have some issues to contend with...that's a big NO-NO.

Dream_Weaver · 02-02-2007, 12:09 PM

Doc Holliday Wrote:I would like to see them have to learn what horses are all about.

Geld them both.
I don't know them, but I do know something about people, if they had shot one just for the heck of it, then I would say fine them, give them some time to think about what they had done, 1000 hours community service, pay for the creature.

But to chase them for 6 miles, shooting one more 40 times, Im sorry but the bloodline stops as of now. That is pure disreguard for life, I say geld them, then give them a ticket to Iraq one way.

I agree.

To torture and kill a innocent life--that is about as low-life as it gets.

**Playboy5** · 02-02-2007, 12:20 PM

Dream_Weaver Wrote:I agree.

To torture and kill a innocent life--that is about as low-life as it gets.

WELL PUT!!

Cats Fan · 02-02-2007, 01:59 PM

I hope they get a harsh punishment. There is no excuse for doing something like this!

**thetribe** · 02-02-2007, 07:41 PM

I haven't heard WYMT say the names on the broadcast any but they could have easily on another day or on their site. Either way, you are right Fox, that's a BIG no-no.

**TidesHoss32** · 02-02-2007, 07:52 PM

out of everything you just wasted time posting, I agree with one thing you said. They do need guidance. They need to be locked in a cell with a 6'6 350 lb guy named Bubba, who loves to turn little boys into women. I call that guidance. I call that life in prison, and they deserve NOTHING less. They are worthless, dumbass, pieces of idiot **** of the first degree, and deserve the same thing they gave to those horses. But life with Bubba would do them justice too. Who knows, after a week or two of getting their butts pounded, they might do us all a favor and hang themselves, and save the state money.

Coach Cline Wrote:I Knew the boys. and let me tell you...you all are wrong they are not worthless. i dont know what got into them but they are relatively nice boys...one was even a good friend, so before you go to sayin they are idiots, get to know them, i never expected it and yes it was really really stupid and i do beleive they should get something out of it but not the extent of "gettin locked up for life" i really never expected this from them..ever...and now i dont know what to think. i think they will learn their lesson.. one could be a really good boy, just needs some kind of guidance in life he has potential like anyone wouldnt beleive....they need to get their act together though i do agree that that was cruel

**Beef** · 02-02-2007, 08:23 PM

They may be tried as adults under a state law that allows anyone between 14-18 who uses a gun in a felony can be tried as an adult. This would raise the minimum punishment from 30 days to 6 years.

**warriorpride** · 02-02-2007, 08:31 PM

Glad they got caught.

**BelfryJustice** · 02-02-2007, 08:44 PM

It is a fact that these two boys have some serious issues that we may not ever understand. They were totally wrong in their actions and should be held accountable for their evil behavior. I do believe that a lot of individuals at this age make very poor decisions and many will act on poor impulse control. That is in no way an excuse. I think 1 to 5 years of incarceration would be the appropriate punishment with payment to the owner of the horses. Plus they should be required to work 2 years with that owner in the future in the care of the other horses. I in no way feel as if life in prison is a realistic. What they have done is a huge mistake that will cause a great deal of pain for their family. I have witnesses so many people make terrible decisions when it comes to the welfare of animals. We all need to remember many of us have made poor decisions in many phases of our lives not necessarily in this area. This is an age phase that boys tend to make poor decisions without thinking of the consequences.

**Playboy5** · 02-02-2007, 11:23 PM

I agree that we all make poor decisions in life. But if you call shooting a horse around 50 times to watch it struggle and suffer to death and killing other horses just a bad decision then I really don't know how to reply to that quote! Money can't but those horses life back. And say if it was my dog that they done that too. Then there would be 2 less idiots on the face of this Earth because no money can buy him back!

**BelfryJustice** · 02-02-2007, 11:49 PM

PLAYBOY5 Wrote:I agree that we all make poor decisions in life. But if you call shooting a horse around 50 times to watch it struggle and suffer to death and killing other horses just a bad decision then I really don't know how to reply to that quote! Money can't but those horses life back. And say if it was my dog that they done that too. Then there would be 2 less idiots on the face of this Earth because no money can buy him back!

So you are revealing to me that you would give your entire life in prison or the death penalty to murder two teenage individuals for killing your dog? I love my dog just as much as anyone, but have no aspiration to kill another human over an animal. You hurt my child and I would be in rage. It was an extremely horrific decision. I also said that it was very evil. The words donât change the fact that they were exceedingly wrong. I worked 10 years in the Virginia Department of Corrections, and believe me there are a lot more evil people in this world than those young men. I am no way defending their actions. I think we all agree that what was done was wrong and mean. As a teenager, I watched several young prominent men in the community throw rocks at some wild ducks causing injury to one. Their actions disgusted me, but I in no way feel as if they should be put to death. We all make mistakes and do things at that age that we later regret in life.

**TidesHoss32** · 02-03-2007, 12:18 AM

I worked 7 years as a floor officer in the Virginia DOC at Red Onion Supermax Prison, and I still disagree with you. Id love to set these two idiots in a cell with some inmates in that prison that would make them weep FOREVER. One to five years? NO WAY. If they hurt my two dogs, that wouldnt be enough time for me to run out of breath beating them. They will never serve as a benefit to our society, therefore they dont need to be in it.

BelfryJustice Wrote:So you are revealing to me that you would give your entire life in prison or the death penalty to murder two teenage individuals for killing your dog? I love my dog just as much as anyone, but have no aspiration to kill another human over an animal. You hurt my child and I would be in rage. It was an extremely horrific decision. I also said that it was very evil. The words donât change the fact that they were exceedingly wrong. I worked 10 years in the Virginia Department of Corrections, and believe me there are a lot more evil people in this world than those young men. I am no way defending their actions. I think we all agree that what was done was wrong and mean. As a teenager, I watched several young prominent men in the community throw rocks at some wild ducks causing injury to one. Their actions disgusted me, but I in no way feel as if they should be put to death. We all make mistakes and do things at that age that we later regret in life.

**BelfryJustice** · 02-03-2007, 12:23 AM

I guess I forgot how many perfect people are in the world! I guess you have never done anything wrong? Unlike you I had access to the inmate records. I also had the same inmates since Augusta housed those inmates prior to the building of Red Onion.