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John Hollenhorst ReportingBen Watson, Snow College: “We didn’t even know the 1,200 turkeys had been killed.”
Because of a bizarre coincidence, a campus prank drew some Snow College students into a major police investigation. But today the so-called "Masked Turkey Bandits" are no longer suspects in the death of 1,200 turkeys.
Yesterday investigators looking into the clubbing deaths of those turkeys zeroed in on the Snow College campus. But today they announced it was a false lead and they don't know who committed the cruel act of vandalism.
It now appears there were two completely unrelated turkey incidents on Saturday night, one a college prank done for laughs; the other, deadly serious and devastating to a Sanpete turkey farmer.
Injured turkeys are still dying 20 a day at Jason Sunderland's farm. 1,200 were killed outright Saturday when someone came in with sticks and started swinging. That same night, young men with bandanas on their faces took two live turkeys to a Snow College apartment building and turned them loose. Investigators believed the two incidents were related until the third day of the investigation.
Robert Wright, Snow College Police Chief: “A unique coincidence is what it turned out to be.”
Tuesday night two students and a friend turned themselves in for stealing two live turkeys as a prank from a farm near Manti.
Rober Wright: "And those were the two turkeys that were ultimately deposited at the off-campus dorms." Reporter: "And it had nothing to do with the killing of 1200 turkeys elsewhere?" "At this point we see absolutely no correlation between the two."
Ben Watson, Snow College: "They shouldn't have done it and they feel bad about it."
Ben Watson's roommates are two of the pranksters. They're hoping to remain anonymous.
Ben Watson: "They're just thinking it's a stupid thing that they never should have done."
This is so much a part of local culture that when students' thoughts turn to college pranks, they naturally start thinking about turkeys.
The student pranksters face campus discipline and possible criminal charges.
Rick Pike, Snow College Public Relations: "Even though it's just campus hi-jinks, this stuff is taken real seriously in our community."
But that still leaves the much bigger mystery unsolved: who killed 1200 turkeys, and why?
Rober Wright: "I don't think at this time we have any substantial leads. But we're still doing what we can."
Investigators believe several people were involved in the killings. Farm organizations are still offering a reward of at least $5,000 for anyone who can lead investigators to the people who killed the turkeys.
