The Muskingum County Sheriff's Office is actively looking for anyone responsible in the death of a Blue Rock Station llama, named Michelle, and the Warmke family says they have a reward in place for anyone with information surrounding the incident.
It happened during the night of November 3rd at 1190 Virginia Ridge Road, the same night people were heading to the polls to vote.
"Because of the timing of this act, we believe it may be connected to Jay's campaign as a candidate for the Franklin local school board, " says Michelle's owner, Annie Warmke.
Annie says she and Jay received many hateful letters and emails during the campaign, but she says they never thought they were in any danger.
"This is not just some drive-by, random shooting, a silly prank, or even a hunting accident. The person or people that did this thought through what they were going to do. The people who attacked and killed this gentle and defenseless animal planned it in advance, " says Annie.
Muskingum County Sheriff, Matt Lutz, says his office is also looking into another incident that took place last week.
"We did have one similar incident in the area where a dead wild animal was thrown onto a person's property, " says Lutz.
Lutz says his office does not have any suspects at this time.
Warmke says she is not only concerned for her family and her animals but her neighbors as well.
Why on EARTH does anybody try to get back at someone by killing the animal??? Oh yes, it does cause the owner grief and pain, but killing a defenseless, tame animal to cause that? Disgusting. Whoever you are, you are an absolutely disgusting individual. I hope they find out who you are and I hope that you are treated EXACTLY as you treated this animal. If they would only enforce our laws and make some of them harsher, this kind of thing (murder) would not go on in this country. To the Warmkes, I am OVERWHELMED with sadness for you and so sorry of your loss.