From: UFO UpDates - Toronto <ufoupdates@virtuallystrange.net>
Date: Tue, 29 Apr 2003 11:02:14 -0400
Fwd Date: Tue, 29 Apr 2003 11:02:14 -0400
Subject: NIDS Investigates Nebraska Cattle Mutilations  



Source: The Omaha World-Herald - Nebraska

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_np=0&u_pg=36&u_sid=726692

Published Tuesday
April 29, 2003

Reward grows in mutilation of cattle

By Paul Hammel

World-Herald Staff Writer

VALPARAISO, Neb. - A reward fund rose Monday to $6,000 and
investigators enlisted the help of a Las Vegas organization in
hopes of solving two mysterious cases of cattle mutilation
northwest of Lincoln.

Saunders County Sheriff Chuck Lacey said that, so far, there
were few clues about who killed and mutilated two 1,200-pound
cows and a bull calf at the Benes Cattle Co. on April 5 and
April 7.

Lacey and an official with the Las Vegas-based National
Institute for Discovery Science said the Valparaiso cases have
an advantage over dozens of other reported cases of cattle
mutilation - vehicle tracks and footprints.

"It's unusual in cases that we know of to find tracks of any
type," said Dr. Colm Kelleher, administrator of the 7-year-old
private science institute that investigates anomalies such as
cattle mutilations.

Kelleher said he is unaware that any case of cattle mutilation
has been solved since the incidents first made headlines in the
1970s.

"Tracks are a good start," he said. "So is the reward."

The $6,000 reward for information is being offered by Nebraska
Crime Stoppers, Saunders County Crime Stoppers, the Saunders
County Livestock Association, the Nebraska Cattlemen's
Association, and the Benes family. It is twice the initial
reward.

Lacey said the reward reflects how seriously the mutilations are
being treated by cattle producers.

"There's no brotherhood among burglars and thieves, so I can't
believe we don't have a constructive lead yet," he said. "Maybe
it's coming."

So far, Lacey said, he has gotten only one small lead.

"Mainly it's people from all parts of the United States telling
us it's the government . . . but nothing constructive," the
sheriff said. "We know it's people and they drive cars."

Three separate sets of footprints and vehicle tracks were found
in the snow on April 7, when a 2-year-old cow was found dead at
the Benes farm.

The animal appeared to have died of electrocution, and an
attempt had been made to cut off one of its teats.

Two days earlier, a cow and a bull calf were found dead in the
same pasture. The testicles, anus and meat from its hindquarters
were cut off the calf, which appeared to have had its blood
drained.

The cow, which appeared to have been electrocuted, had one teat
cut off.

The sheriff said the Las Vegas group may be able to shed more
light on how the cows were killed. Particular toxins, Lacey
said, have been associated with cattle mutilations.

Kelleher, whose organization investigates scientific anomalies
such as cattle mutilations and alleged UFO sightings, said his
group will analyze tissue samples from one of the dead cows as
well as photographs of the mutilated animals.

He said only minimal tests will be possible because the tissue
arrived so long after the incident.

Kelleher, a doctor of biochemistry, said the Valparaiso case is
intriguing because of the burns left in the cows' mouths and the
discovery of the tracks.

He said there is no proof that such mutilations are linked to
UFOs, but there was a rash of UFO sightings during some
mutilation cases in Montana in the 1970s.

Although he wouldn't rule out cult activity in the Valparaiso
case, Kelleher said previous mutilations have not been linked to
occult groups.

He said his group's goal is to investigate scientific anomalies
that mainstream organizations ignore in hopes that it will lead
to new discoveries.

Anyone with information about these crimes is asked to call
Crime Stoppers at (800) 422-1494.


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