Colo. brand inspectors Key in cattle shooting case

When brand inspectors Jesse Phillips and Brenna BeGeer arrived to a property in Larimer County, Colorado, seven head of cattle lay dead and another was injured and needed to be destroyed. Baby calves were orphaned, bred cows were killed, and a bull was shot and killed. They worked to identify ownership of the cattle and contact the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office. They also assisted in determining the value of the cattle killed.

According to law enforcement reports, Michael Hester was taken into custody on April 1, 2024, after they responded to a call in a rural neighborhood west of Fort Collins.

Jordan Yarber runs his cowherd on his family ranch right alongside the herd belonging to his grandmother, Dixie Gibbens, who still owns the family ranch.

Yarber said it’s his understanding that Hester said the cattle were a nuisance and didn’t communicate any remorse. Yarber said the cattle, both his and another neighbor’s cattle, had ventured onto neighboring properties, including Hester’s.

The cattle killed included four bred cows, a yearling heifer, a herd bull, and two cows with calves at side.

There are other neighbors in the area who own cattle and Yarber said Hester began shooting at them, chasing them, still firing, back across the public road. He then drove around in a UTV shooting cattle. Some of the cattle, Yarber admits, were on and around Hester’s property. However, Colorado is an open range state, which means landowners are required to fence out unwanted livestock.

In the past, Yarber said, his neighbors welcomed the occasional stray cattle and the free fire mitigation they provide. He said Hester hadn’t previously been in contact with him to complain about the cattle’s presence and he had never met him.

OPTIONS AVAILABLE

Local brand inspectors can be contacted if stray cattle need to be identified and removed. The other option is to contact the owner directly. Colorado’s open range laws put the responsibility for building and maintaining fence on the landowner.

Colorado Brand Commissioner Todd Inglee said there have been some problems in the area with wandering cattle after wildfires damaged fencing.

“Our brand inspectors, Jesse Phillips and Brenna DeGeer were key in assisting the Sheriff’s Office and responding,” Inglee said. “They worked with law enforcement to identify ownership of the animals and we’re offering continued assistance to ensure the prosecutors know about fence and other livestock laws.”

Inglee said the Brand Office is working to increase outreach to local law enforcement officials across the state to help assist prosecuting livestock related thefts and crimes.

“We’ve seen a lack of successful outcomes due to a lack of knowledge and motivation toward livestock crimes, but it appears the Larimer County Sheriff and District Attorney are motivated on this case,” he said. “We will be assisting wherever needed as this case moves through the legal system.”

Deputies and the local brand inspector confirmed ownership and investigators traversed the rough country to gather evidence. The cattle shot belonged to Yarber and the other neighbor who initially witnessed the shooting. The cattle, based on last week’s sale report at Sterling Livestock Commission Company, are potentially worth $2,500-2,800 for a bred cow and $3,000-3,500 for a cow calf pair. The bulls are currently fetching about $150 per hundredweight.

Hester was arrested during the initial contact and was issued a $5,000 personal recognizance bond by the Larimer County Court. He faces felony charges of aggravated animal cruelty, second degree criminal trespass, eight counts of theft of certain animals, and shooting across public highway 

He bonded out of custody and appeared in Larimer County Court on April 12, 2024.