Forest Service Investigates After 13 Wild Horses Shot Dead on Black Mesa

Thirteen wild horses were discovered shot dead on the Black Mesa Ranger District of the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests, federal officials and local news reporting show, prompting a criminal probe and a search for tips from the public. ABC15 reported nine horses were found in February and said four additional horses were found in March, while the USDA Forest Service has publicly sought information about the recent killings.

The U.S. Forest Service confirmed forensic work on the February discovery: “All nine horses showed evidence of bullet wounds, indicating they were shot. Necropsies were completed and the carcasses were buried,” the agency said on its Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests notice. An Instagram post tied to the Forest Service echoed that “necropsies confirmed they were shot, and the U.S. Forest Service opened a criminal investigation.”

Investigators are asking anyone with information to contact the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office tipline at 928-524-9908, a contact number repeated in Forest Service materials and local reporting. The USDA Forest Service statement and ABC15 coverage both note that “a $5,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible,” underscoring federal and local eagerness to move the case toward prosecution.

The horse killings were located on the Black Mesa Ranger District; KJZZ reported the animals “were found in the Black Mesa Ranger District near Heber-Overgaard, according to a press release from the Forest Service late last month.” An earlier reporting summary characterizes the incidents as taking place “primarily in Apache County,” reflecting the multiple jurisdictional references across the available statements. The Forest Service page relating to the case shows a site update timestamp of “Last updated January 29, 2026.”

Officials and reporters have stressed the ongoing nature of the inquiry while leaving several questions unanswered in public materials. The supplied reports and agency notices do not name any suspects, list arrests or charges, or provide exact calendar dates for the February and March discoveries beyond the month-level reporting. ABC15 is the sole supplied outlet to report the four additional deaths in March; the USDA Forest Service notice focuses on the nine-horse discovery.

Original reporting on this series of killings notes that “this continues a pattern of similar incidents,” and investigators have urged anyone with knowledge to call 928-524-9908. Federal and local authorities say they are seeking leads to identify and hold accountable those responsible for the shootings on Black Mesa.