Posted on 11/26/2025 8:10:19 AM PST by Red Badger
Two Charlotte County men face felony charges after allegedly trespassing onto a DeSoto County farm and shooting a cow in the head while they were on their way to school.
The DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office arrested Matthew Robert Wright and Gavin Hunter McMillan on charges of armed trespass and aggravated animal cruelty, the press release stated.
Thomas Butler discovered the men on his family’s cattle farm northwest of Arcadia on Friday. One man stood in the pasture holding the dead heifer’s head, telling Butler “someone shot this cow,” according to Fox 4, which cited an arrest report.
When Butler asked where they were going, the men said they were headed to school and needed to leave. “Butler advised they were going nowhere and contacted the Sheriff’s Office to report the incident,” the report stated.
DeSoto County Sheriff's Office 5d · Yesterday, Deputy Beasley and Corporal Santana responded to a property located in the area of NW County Road 661 in reference to a trespass. The complainant reported two unknown males trespassed on their property and killed one of their Heifer cows. The unknown males were identified as Charlotte County residents, Matthew Robert Wright and Gavin Hunter McMillan, and were located next to the deceased cow. The cow had an obvious gunshot wound to its head. Wright admitted to shooting the cow, which suffered briefly before he had to shoot it again to kill it. Wright said he did not plan to do anything with the cow. Both Wright and McMillan were arrested and charged with: • Armed Trespass F.S.S. 810.08(2)(c) - FELONY • Aggravated Animal Cruelty F.S.S. 828.12(2) - FELONY • Knowingly propelling a potentially lethal projectile over or across private land without authorization F.S.S. 810.09(g) – FELONY • Possession of Marijuana less than 20gms F.S.S. 893.13(6)(b) • Possession of Drug Paraphernalia pursuant to F.S.S. 893.147(1) Cattle operations are an important livelihood for many families here in DeSoto County and across our state. Sheriff Potter is thankful for the concerned citizens and the Deputies who investigated this senseless crime. Remember to report suspicious activity, if you see something say something. Report Animal Cruelty to us at (863) 993-4700.
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Carl Pickle, who owns the land where Butler raises cattle, told deputies the men jumped a barbed wire fence to access the property.
Wright initially changed his story multiple times before admitting he shot the cow with his rifle, deputies said. When asked what he planned to do with the animal, Wright said he intended to do nothing with it.
Deputies removed a concealed 9mm Glock handgun from Wright’s pants during questioning. A search of McMillan’s vehicle turned up several grams of marijuana and a grinder.
“It was cruel, what they did,” said Rylee Butler, Thomas’s daughter. “And I don’t think it’s whatsoever right.”
The family estimates the heifer was worth around $45,000.
“You weren’t going to take it for the meat, you know? What was the purpose of it?” Rylee said. “It was just like a vindictive kind of act.”
Sheriff James Potter thanked concerned citizens and deputies for investigating what his office called “this senseless crime.”
Florida Men Ping................
Oh George, not the livestock!
45000? For one Heifer? I call….BS.
Hinduphobes
Radical Vegans.....................
The family estimates the heifer was worth around $45,000.
Yeah, I think it had one too many zeroes.........
Just plain meanness.
Value of heifer, and all calves it would have conceivably produced.
“Men” shot this cow? They need to not denigrate that term.
In Texas, livestock crimes are virtually capital crimes. This would be WAY worse than “animal cruelty” in my state.
Could be. Pure bred, cost of the cow and future 15 years of offspring also pure bred breeding stock.
I would estimate $1500-$2000 for the cow.
They were just trying to stop global warming.
But it’s not your cow or you might feel differently.
How many calves would that heifer had?
Every lost calf to that heifer over it’s projected life is $$$!
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