Suspects Connected to Western Colorado Cow Shooting Arrested

Senseless violence toward animals is considered especially heinous and luckily, the state of Colorado has laws in place that carry strict penalties for animal abuse, neglect, or cruelty.

Read More: What is the Penalty for Animal Cruelty or Neglect in Colorado? |

Recently, three cows were discovered to have been shot, seemingly at random, in Montrose County, Colorado and local authorities believe that the responsible parties have been arrested and charged for their crimes.

Cows Shot in Montrose County Colorado + Suspects Arrested

The incident is said to have taken place on Sunday, December 29, 2024, just south of the border of Delta County and Montrose County, Colorado.

Get our free mobile app

It was discovered that three cows in the area had been shot by, at the time, an unknown party.

However, Delta County Sheriff Mark Taylor announced on Monday, January 6, 2025, that two suspects had been arrested in connection with the shooting and charged with various crimes in relation to the incident.

The suspects have been identified as 20-year-old Leeland Hernandez and 19-year-old Jevon Vigil, both of Delta, Colorado.

While the full story regarding the manner in which the pair were caught isn't exactly clear at this point, Sheriff Taylor had the following to say in an official statement:

As Sheriff, I would like to personally thank the individuals who forwarded the information they had to law enforcement in reference to this case. Without your help, law enforcement would have a much harder time solving this case. This is a prime example how law enforcement and the public can work together to protect our community by quickly identifying and prosecuting these criminals.

Read the entire statement from Delta County Sheriff Mark Taylor here.