EGN NEWS DESK
A jealous Idaho man shot and killed his ex-girlfriend’s horse in a drunken rage after accusing his ex of dishonest on him, in keeping with experiences.
Shawn Brayden Jones, 24, was accused of capturing Mailee Cooper’s horse, Bree, a 12-year-old American Quarter Horse that she had owned for 9 years — and was value as much as $10,000, the Idaho State Journal reported.
Jones allegedly confessed to capturing the horse 4 instances with a .22-caliber lever-action rifle, in keeping with arrest affidavits.
He informed a responding deputy final month that he break up from Cooper every week earlier and that she’d saved her horse on his property.
She had visited him simply earlier than the capturing however left as a result of he was drunk and began accusing her of dishonest on him, she mentioned.
Jones claimed he “wanted to place [thehorse] down” as a result of nobody had come since their break-up and he didn’t assume the animal had been fed or care for, in keeping with a police report cited by the outlet.
But when the deputy requested Jones to elaborate, he “stammered and was unable to explain precisely what was mistaken” with the horse, the report said.
The suspect, who reeked of alcohol, then confirmed the deputy the animal’s physique.
“Aside from the bullet wounds, the horse gave the impression to be in good well being. There had been no indicators of malnourishment or neglect,” in keeping with the police report.
At one level, Jones’ father requested to talk with the deputy in personal, telling him there was no have to shoot the horse, which the household had fed, and that his son was uncontrolled and wanted to face prison expenses, the State Journal reported.
Jones’ blood-alcohol content material was decided to be 0.186 p.c, over two instances the authorized restrict for working a car, in keeping with the outlet.
He was charged with felony malicious harm to property and booked into the Bingham County Jail, the East Idaho News reported.
Jones provided to pay for half of what Bree was value but additionally “made it a degree to state that he didn’t remorse capturing the horse,” the police report states.
If convicted, he faces as much as 5 years in jail and a fantastic of as much as $1,000. It was not instantly clear if he had a lawyer representing him.
“Someone took my finest good friend from me. She just about took a bullet for me,” Cooper informed East Idaho News.
“Hopefully, the justice system doesn’t simply sweep this beneath the rug so nobody else will get harm or one other animal will get harm,” she mentioned.
She shared an analogous sentiment in a Facebook put up about her “profound sorrow.”
She wasn’t simply my finest good friend she was my trustworthy companion and protector,” she wrote of Bree.
“The ache of her passing is intensified by the data that she saved my life, bravely stepping in hurt’s approach and taking a bullet for me.
“Her selfless act of heroism is a testomony to the deep bond we shared, a bond cast by way of numerous hours of belief and companionship. Though she could now not be by my aspect, her reminiscence will ceaselessly gallop by way of the fields of my coronary heart.”
Cooper’s good friend Shelby Henery arrange a GoFundMe web page to assist her purchase one other horse.
“Of course to Mailee, Bree is irreplaceable. However, family and friends would like to see her honor the reminiscence of Bree by persevering with to pursue her equestrian desires with one other horse!” Henery wrote.
“This horse meant extra to Mailee than most may presumably think about. Mailee had been taking Bree to the indoor enviornment on the Bannock County Event Center Friday and Saturday evenings for breakaway roping observe, the good friend defined.
“She continues to go to those practices to indicate assist to her buddies, irrespective of the heartache it causes her to not have her finest good friend there together with her,” Henery added.
