Rural Upstate South Carolina county hit by crime wave of horse and goat killings

John Monk, The State (Columbia, S.C.) on Sep 25, 2026

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COLUMBIA, S.C. — A 14-year-old boy has been arrested in connection with an outbreak of killings of horses and goats in rural Oconee County in the northwest mountainous corner of South Carolina.

The arrest was announced by the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff’s spokesman Cpl. Jimmy Watt said the boy has been charged with ill treatment of animals, malicious injury to animals and stealing livestock.

He has been transferred from Oconee County to the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice in Columbia. He is still being held there.

Names of juveniles are not released.

Watt said at least two goats and two horses were killed and other animals have been reported missing.

Watt declined to say exactly how many animals have been killed so far.

He also declined to reveal how the animals were killed.

But investigators believe the horse and goat deaths were caused by a human, Watt said.

“As of right now, the deaths of animals involve only goats and horses,” Watt said.

The investigation into the deaths began Sept. 18 when a deputy responded to a call from a residence several miles west of Lake Keowee near Salem, a small Oconee County town, Watt said in a press release that gave this version of events:

The caller reported that someone had come onto their property and killed a goat. The deputy was able to review security video tape and identify a suspect.

The deputy drove to the suspect’s house, talked with a parent and the suspect and then took the 14-year-old into custody.

After that, the sheriff’s office received reports of other missing or dead animals.

“After consultations with a judge, investigators obtained and served a search warrant for the residence where the juvenile resides. During the execution of the search warrant, investigators obtained additional evidence, including the remains of dead animals on the property, which matched the descriptions of some of the animals that were reported missing in the separate investigations,” the press release said.

Watt said, “We were able to get things done in a quick fashion.”

“Our investigation focused on the crimes that were committed, but obviously if this young man needs some type of help, we hope that he receives it,” Watt said. “We hope that his parents and him as well are receptive to him receiving that help also.”