Cults Blamed for Waves of Strange Cattle Deaths in Mississippi

From the 1970s through the 1990s, there were several waves of mysterious cattle deaths in the United States. Healthy livestock worth thousands of dollars were found dead often with their tongues or other parts removed. Researchers and authorities named the phenomenon "cattle mutilation." Theories for the strange deaths and mutilations ranged from satanic cults to UFOs to government conspiracies. Although most of the incidents occurred in the western United States, they also occurred in the South. In Mississippi, there were dozens of cattle mutilations from 1978 to 1992. Authorities blamed satanic cults in most of those cases. Keep reading to see where these mysterious cattle deaths occured across the state.

Photo byBing image created by April Killian

Copiah County

Between February and June, 1978, over two dozen cases of cattle mutilations were reported to authorities in Copiah County. In most cases, the cattle were found dead with only the tongue missing. Where the tongues were removed, the cuts were very precise, as if a knife or other sharp instrument were used, and none of the cattle were stripped of meat. "It's the darndest thing I've ever seen," Sheriff Earl Guess was quoted in the Vicksburg Post. "In my 20 years of law enforcement, I've never seen anything like this." In the end, the cases were never solved, although Sheriff Guess believed it was the work of a bizarre religious sect. He said he based his theory on tips received by his office.

Photo byThe Vicksburg Post, Sun, Jun 18, 1978 (newspapers.com)

Lee County

In the summer of 1990, there were two known cattle mutilations in Lee County. Both occurred on a dairy farm near Bethany. Neither the owner nor a local veterinarian could figure out what killed the cattle, which included a calf and a 500-pound heifer. The calf was missing its tongue. On the heifer, 18 square inches of hide was taken from her left rib cage, an ear was cleanly cut, and her left front hoof was found a few feet away. In an article in the Clarion-Ledger, a Lee County investigator said he believed that satanic cults were responsible.

Photo byClarion-Ledger, Wed, Jul 11, 1990 (newspapers.com)

Amite County

Between December, 1991, and June, 1992, four mutilated cows were found in Amite County near Liberty. In three of the cases, only the tongue and part of the skin on half the jaw of the cow were missing. On the fourth cow, the entire head was missing and the body of the cow was stripped to the bone. A Jackson researcher told the Enterprise Journal that a helicopter was seen in the area prior to the mutilation. He also said that quite often, the blame was placed on satanic cults too quickly. In an article in the Enterprise-Journal, an investigator said that there were other cases of animal mutilation, although he would not give specifics.

Photo byEnterprise-Journal, Thu, Jun 11, 1992 (newspapers.com)

Pike, Lincoln, and Prentiss Counties

In 1992, the Enterprise Journal said there had been other cattle mutilations in Pike, Lincoln, and Prentiss Counties, although we could not find any information on those cases.

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