Upside down system
Major crimes in White Shield with no investigation
By STU MERRY
For Frank Felix, things are getting out of hand in the White Shield area.
Felix operates a small cow-calf operation and horses with four family members near White Shield. He’s losing head of cattle.
During a check of the heard a few weeks ago a dead cow was found. Felix scratched his head. There’s no reason a middle-aged cow should fall over, he thought, except the animal’s eyes were bulged out – a sure sign it had been shot.
Again, checking the pastures as the days went by more dead cattle were found. Examining the carcasses, they all showed the same signs as the cause of death. Throughout the range unit in the Missouri River breaks the group used ATVs, finding other scattered carcasses. All were middle-aged livestock, not old, all were breeders, Felix said.
Felix observed fences had been torn down, driven right through. The numbers began to mount. All totaled, eight cows and a calf were shot. Things weren’t adding up.
A neighbor, who asked not to be identified, lost two horses by gunshot. Those fences were also run through.
As far as he and neighbors can estimate, the shootings began in August in a pasture area south of White Shield along the lake.
Authorities were notified. But there was no reply. Time passed. Felix said it wasn’t until a Three Affiliated Tribes investigator Chad Roe, showed up Aug. 18.
The situation was assessed and photos were taken, but Felix claims no investigation was pursued, nor an autopsy done on the livestock. Determining the cattle were shot, the investigator told Felix to contact a game warden. Time passes. He said he’s still heard nothing.
Being in law enforcement himself for 35 years, Felix said he’s frustrated and discouraged.
