The Navajo County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of 38-year-old Joseph Daniel Gibbons of Snowflake for crimes against livestock.

According to NCSO, it received a report that a local ranch had found five deceased cattle in a pasture off Hay Hallow Road in Snowflake on August 22, 2024.

The reporting party indicated that the cattle had suffered gunshot wounds. The owner notified the Arizona Department of Agriculture – Livestock Division leading to an investigation.

NCSO says its detectives partnered with the Department of Agriculture for the investigation. Authorities say a search warrant was carried out at a residence in the 8900 block of Charolais Trail at which time multiple weapons believed to be involved were seized.

NCSO says a report was received from the Arizona Department of Public Safety Crime Lab indicating a bullet taken from a deceased cow matched one of the weapons seized on October 31.

On November 20, authorities carried out another search at the property and arrested Joseph Gibbons on two counts of Animal Cruelty and one count of Killing Livestock. NCSO says 22 cattle were killed at an estimated loss in excess of $65,000.