GILLETTE, Wyo. (AP) - A 31-year-old Gillette man accused of fatally shooting a yearling cow for its meat and then damaging a backhoe after disposing of the remains is facing additional charges of aggravated burglary and disposal of stolen property.
The Gillette News Record reports (https://bit.ly/1qNmUKI ) Justin Epley has already been sentenced to six years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm when the cow was killed. Prosecutors now say the guns thought to have been used in the killing - an AR-15 rifle and a .45-caliber handgun - were stolen. The weapons have not been recovered.
Authorities say Epley put the backhoe into drive and sent it into a ditch after killing the cow. The carcass and backhoe were found Sept. 4.
Investigators say Epley told a cellmate he shot the cow 54 times.
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Information from: The Gillette (Wyo.) News Record, https://www.gillettenewsrecord.com
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