Oklahoma
Four Oklahoma State fraternity members arrested for allegedly leaving dead longhorn outside rival frat house
Four Oklahoma State University fraternity members were arrested in connection with the longhorn carcass placed in front of another fraternity last month.
Bennett Fady, Luke Ackerley, Brody Shelby, and Andrew King were arrested on Wednesday and charged with misdemeanor unlawful removal/disposal of a carcass.
The dead longhorn was found on the front lawn of Oklahoma State’s FarmHouse fraternity on Dec. 1, the day before the Big 12 Championship football game between the Oklahoma State Cowboys and the Texas Longhorns, in which the Longhorns won by a score of 49 to 21.
“F— FH,” was branded on the cow. The animal also had a yellow tie-down strap tied around the base of its horns, and it was fastened to a large concrete pillar on the FarmHouse fraternity porch. There was a large cut on the longhorn’s abdomen with internal organs exposed.
OKLAHOMA WOMAN SHOOTS AND KILLS MAN WHO BROKE INTO HER HOME: POLICE
Bennett Fady, Luke Ackerley, Brody Shelby, and Andrew King were charged with misdemeanor unlawful removal/disposal of a carcass. (Payne County Jail)
Stillwater Police discovered from a necropsy report that the cow died of disease 36 hours before the incident and that it had not been killed to leave it on the FarmHouse fraternity lawn.
FarmHouse fraternity members told police they suspected rival fraternity Alpha Gamma Rho left the carcass amid an ongoing prank war between the two frat houses, an arrest warrant affidavit shows, according to Fox 4.
Police reviewed surveillance video from the FarmHouse fraternity and saw three people pull up in a white Ford F-150 with a trailer and dump the dead longhorn onto the property.
Investigators later learned that the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity held a party at a member’s uncle’s house. Neighbors told investigators they typically saw three longhorns on the property, but only two remained after the prank, court documents showed.
Court documents show that police went to Alpha Gamma Rho to speak with members of the fraternity, and leadership and an advisor said they had identified fraternity members involved in the incident but “declined to provide the identification of those individuals.”
The arrest warrant affidavit said investigators were told that Fady discussed a plan to drop a dead longhorn on the FarmHouse property, but was urged by fellow fraternity members not to carry out the prank. The four arrested then asked another member to borrow his truck to retrieve the cow, and the member confirmed to police he allowed Fady to use his truck.
OKLAHOMA MAN CLAIMING TO BE PASTOR AND WIFE ACCUSED OF LOCKING CHILDREN IN BATHROOM, BEATING THEM WITH BOARD
A necropsy report showed that the longhorn died of disease 36 hours before the incident and that it had not been killed to leave it on the FarmHouse fraternity lawn. (Stillwater Police)
Police said the four suspects attempted to conceal the truck used in the incident by not immediately returning it to its owner after dumping the longhorn and instead parking it on the east side of the farm where the cow was picked and telling the owner where his vehicle was located, according to Fox 25. The truck was then driven to the owner’s home in the middle of the night, at the “suggestion of the fraternity, to avoid detection,” police said.
A review of video surveillance taken from the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity house discovered a significant gap in the security video from the time before and after the incident, court documents show.
“There was a significant amount of collective lack of cooperation from the Alpha Gamma Rho organization, as it related to the investigation into the incident,” an investigator said in court documents.
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Police also tried to interview the four suspects at police headquarters, but their lawyer told police none of his clients would participate in the interview.
The four arrested are members of Alpha Gamma Rho. All four were booked into the Payne County Jail and released on their own recognizance, and they have all pleaded not guilty.
“Oklahoma State expects all students to adhere to university codes of conduct, and appropriate action will be taken based on the outcome of an ongoing internal investigation,” the university said in a statement to Fox 4.
Oklahoma
Trump nominates former Oklahoma officer Lance Schroyer to lead ICE
ICE plans to sell or transfer $700m in empty warehouses
US Immigration & Customs Enforcement is reportedly planning to sell or transfer seven unused warehouse facilities that were purchased as part of a major immigrant detention expansion effort.
unbranded – Newsworthy
President Donald Trump announced June 27 he would nominate Lance Schroyer, a former Oklahoma state trooper, to serve as director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“The Senate must CONFIRM Lance, IMMEDIATELY — Do not delay,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post, calling Schroyer a “patriot” and asserting he would help carry out Trump’s broader immigration push to detain and deport individuals the administration describes as serious criminal offenders.
The move to fill the position comes months after Todd Lyons, the acting director of ICE who oversaw immigration enforcement crackdowns linked to killings in Minnesota and Illinois, resigned as acting director at the end of May.
Schroyer has over 29 years in law enforcement in Oklahoma and is a U.S. Marine, Trump said. Most recently, Schroyer’s spearheaded federal-local immigration enforcement partnerships with ICE, including a program that allows state and local agencies to assist federal immigration authorities.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin also praised the selection, saying Schroyer’s background positions him to advance the administration’s immigration enforcement goals and called on the Senate to act quickly to confirm him.
Who is Lance Schroyer?
Schroyer currently serves as senior adviser to the Department of Homeland Security, where he helps coordinate immigration enforcement strategy and interagency cooperation among federal, state and local partners, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
He previously served as a major with the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety, overseeing emergency and special operations units that handled disaster response, civil disturbance planning, abducted child recovery efforts and tactical operations.
ICE leadership vacancy and broader enforcement debate
ICE has not had a Senate-confirmed director since early 2017 and has largely been led by acting officials.
The nomination comes as the agency continues to play a central role in Trump’s immigration enforcement agenda. The Trump administration has expanded detention and deporation efforts as part of the president’s goals to crack down on people entering the country illegally. Immigration rights groups have raised concerns about civil liberties and detention conditions. ICE has faced scrutiny over enforcement actions and deaths in custody, including incidents that have prompted protests and public debate.
ICE’s detention strategies continue to evolve, including adjustments to how custody facilities are planned and utilized. At the same time, immigration enforcement officers are being deployed in more states, pointing to a wider national presence as part of the administration’s enforcement efforts.
Contributing: Reuters
Reporter Anthony Thompson can be reached at ajthompson@usatodayco.com, or on X @athompsonUSAT
Oklahoma
Flooded roads prompt travel warnings across Northeast Oklahoma
Nowata County Emergency Management is urging motorists to avoid several roads across the county as flooding continues following recent heavy rainfall.
Officials reported water over a bridge on County Road 408 south of Road 2, between Roads 2 and 3.
Roads to Avoid
Emergency management officials issued the following road advisories:
- Road 21 between Roads 420 and 419
- Road 419 north of U.S. Highway 60
- Road 420 between Roads 27 and 28
- Road 27 west of Road 421 near Panther Creek
Officials say these roads should be avoided because of flooding.
Road 2 Closed
Emergency management also announced that Road 2 (EW 2) is closed.
Officials said some areas of the roadway have approximately 12 inches of standing water.
Drivers are encouraged to avoid flooded roadways and seek alternate routes until water recedes.
Oklahoma
523 animals rescued in SE Oklahoma City meth bust, animal welfare overwhelmed
Resources at Oklahoma City’s Animal Welfare are stretched thin after taking in more than 500 animals in an emergency rescue. Police arrested four people and saved the animals on Thursday in a methamphetamine bust at a home near southeast 15th and High Avenue.
FIRST REPORTED: Four arrested after 30 pounds of meth, hundreds of animals seized from Oklahoma City home
Oklahoma City’s Development Services Director Brock Rowe answered questions about the largest animal seizure in the city’s history.
How many animals were rescued and what species were found?
Animal control officers rescued 523 animals. There were about 470 ducks, chickens, pigeons, and peacocks gathered from the property. Officers took 49 dogs, an unspecified number of cats, one horse, and reptiles.
What is the latest on the animals’ health and condition?
The animals were “taken care of pretty good” and did not appear to be severely abused of malnourished. The situation is believed to be animal hoarding, meaning there were simply too many animals on the property. Staff worked overnight to ensure the animals have food, clean water, bedding and proper car.
What resources is the shelter using to care for so many animals?
The shelter is using temporary crates, kennels, and indoor spaces to accommodate the overflow, especially for birds, while larger animals like the horse are kept outside. Animal welfare officials are reaching out to local partners and organizations that specialize in livestock and birds to help house and care for some of the animals. The shelter is running a “name your price” adoption event to quickly move existing animals out and free up space.
Are the animals considered evidence, and when could they become available for adoption or transfer?
The animals are currently on hold as evidence, and adoption or transfer will only happen after the legal process determines when they can be released.
What is the status of the criminal investigation, and are additional charges expected?
Police arrested four men on drug trafficking complaints during the warrant search. No word if the men will face charges for the animals.
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