Several cows found 'mutilated' in Southeast Texas, tongues and other body parts removed in mysterious deaths

MADISON COUNTY, Texas - Authorities across at least three counties in Southeast Texas are investigating the mysterious deaths of six cattle located with their tongues removed.

The murdered cattle were found dead in Madison, Robertson, and Brazos County.

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According the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, law enforcement is investigating the death and mutilation of a longhorn-cross cow along TX-OSR.  Ranchers told deputies the longhorn-cross cow was located on her side, deceased, and mutilated on their ranch.

"A straight, clean cut, with apparent precision, had been made to remove the hide around the cow’s mouth on one side, leaving the meat under the removed hide untouched," said a spokesperson from the Madison County Sheriff’s Office.  "The tongue was also completely removed from the body with no blood spill.  It was noted there were no signs of struggle and the grass around the cow was undisturbed. No footprints or tire tracks were noted in the area.  Ranchers also reported that no predators or birds would scavenge the remains of the cow, leaving it to decay untouched for several weeks."

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In addition, four more cows and a yearling were found dead under similar circumstances in nearby Robertson and Brazos County.  Each incident occurred in different locations, pastures and herds.

"It’s very alarming to the community," said Carolynn Gardner, a ranch owner in Leon County.  "I just kind of think it’s some kind of cult activity.  There’s no presence of blood spill and the cows were mutilated.  I don’t know how that could happen."

Gardner is hoping authorities locate whoever is responsible.

"It doesn’t make sense," said Gardner.  "No tracks, no blood shed on the ground.  They didn’t take any of the meat from the animal.  As high as beef products are in the store, if they’d kill an animal they’d take the meat."

A family from Montgomery County reached out to FOX 26 with additional mysterious animal deaths on their property. The family wanted to remain anonymous, but shared images of 2 goats recently sliced and killed.  The goats lived on the family’s fenced-in property.

The recent cattle deaths have gained national media attention.  Tim Doyle, a lead investigator on the TV series "UFO Seekers", told Fox News cattle mutilations have been happening in the United States since the 1970s.

"In one of those cases from 1976, Gabe Valdez, the police officer, found evidence of a triangular-shaped object landing near a cow. Then some type of tripods exiting this craft–and these tripods were anywhere from 28 inches to four inches in length," Doyle explained Monday on "Jesse Watters Primetime." "Now, Gabe said in his investigation that these tripods that exited this UFO craft followed the cow for 600 feet before the cow finally fell dead. And these tripods had little tracks that they left on the ground. Gabe returned to the same incident site for a second time and found that these tracks had actually gone over his tire tracks."

The cause of death of all six cows, and the goats, remains unknown.  If you have any information you’re urged to contact law enforcement.

"I don’t know about alien activity," said Gardner.  "I hope the Cattle Rancher’s Association can investigate and get to the bottom of it."