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.”
Sounds like a lot of bull to me.
Note that the duo were headed to school armed. Why? Planned a school killing spree, and shot the cow as a warmup? The arrogant bastards should be branded extensively, then skinned and made into belts, while their families pay the farmer triple damages on the $45,000.
“A bred heifer can cost around $1,300. Meanwhile, mature cows can cost around $4,000 to $5,000 each.”
Don’t know the breeding on this one but it doesn’t sound out of bounds if it was mature.
“Knowingly propelling a potentially lethal projectile over or across private land without authorization.— FELONY”
While certainly not the most egregious example, them prosecutors have THOUSANDS of ways to charge and forcefully compel, granted by Corrupt legislators and judges..
Ever notice how many charges are ladled up on just about any case?
They always keep a few in reserve just in case..............
Maybe $4,500? As usual, there was either a typo in the article or the “journalist” had no sense of reality as to what the cow was worth.
Talk about two idiots...
Akk akk akk budda budda budda!!!! Blam Blam blam!
No, make them eat the intestines only
I don’t think the quality or lineage of the heifer was reported. More than likely the value due to future calves. Maybe you can research the lineage of that heifer and let us all know the particulars. 😉
Yet, you assign a value at 10% of what the actual owner of the cow reported? What did you base that estimate upon?
I think the farmer has a pretty good grasp of what his herd is worth.
Not picking on you, just curious what you based your uninformed opinion on?
My “uninformed opinion” is based on the average price of a black Angus heifer in Georgia. $1200-$2500. No doubt a prize winning purebred would be worth more however the article we are discussing doesn’t give us that information.
Fix their little wagons with this. Steers anyone?
😮
When i went to High School in central Florida 40+ years ago, it was not against school rules to to have rifles in your vehicle on the the school parking lot. Many students went hunting after school. I have no idea what the current regulations are.
Sadly freedom has been stolen from us by murderous idiots domestic and foreign. States and schools have “no firearms or weapons” policies, plus gates, metal detectors, and guards to enforce them.
Note that the cow killers had a handgun as well as a rifle — they were on foot and thus had no vehicle to lock their guns in during the school day. I find them guilty and sentence them to 50 years in prison — don’t need no stinkin’ evidence. (Joking, sort of)
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