Le lundi 24 décembre 1979, l'adjoint Tommy Box du bureau du Sheriff du comté d'Eddie mena une enquête sur site à propos d'un bouvillon de 1 an de 200 kg, qui avait été signalé mort et mutilé. Le jeudi 27, l'adjoint Box retourna sur la scène, accompagné du sergent Bob Dodgin de la Police d'état du Nouveau-Mexique et de Morgan Bates of the New Mexico Livestock Board.
The animal was lying on its right side. Its anus area was damaged and there was a large opening in its left side.
Although the investigating officers believed this area had been cut, the edges were very jagged. The animal's stomach was laying on the ground a few feet in front of this opening. When the carcass was first examined by Deputy Box, a three-inch piece of meat was also found on the ground a few feet behind the animal.
Although both the owner and Deputy Box believed the calf had previously been healthy, a necropsy performed at the scene by Dr. Dean Reynolds revealed lesions on its lungs, which were diagnosed as two-week-old pneumonia. Dr. Reynolds concluded the animal had died from pneumonia. However, he said he could not explain the missing rectum or the cavity in the side of the animal. In his report he states that "it looks like someone is playing games after the calf died."
This animal, like the one described next in the Loving incident, had recently been brought from Texas. I have been told that it is not uncommon to find pneumonia in animals that have been recently transported from Texas into New Mexico, particularly during the winter months.
Photographs of this incident were obtained and have been made part of the project file.