Target: Coty Wamp, District Attorney General of Hamilton County, Tennessee
Goal: Prosecute to the fullest extent of the law the individual allegedly found collecting and neglecting animals in deplorable conditions, acquiring new animals while already facing charges for killing five goats.
A 74-year-old man already facing charges for allegedly killing five goats and mistreating livestock was re-arrested after deputies reportedly discovered him still living on a property from which he had been court-ordered to vacate, surrounded by dozens of animals in conditions that investigators described as among the most disturbing imaginable. According to arrest affidavits, the ground of the property was severely eroded and comprised largely of mud, muck, feces, and animal bones.
At least five small goat skulls were allegedly found under and around a camper on the property, one adjacent to a recently deceased goat body still showing insect activity. Another goat skull was reportedly found next to a clasped collar with a bell on it, with evidence suggesting that chickens had been scratching around it and consuming parts of the decomposing remains.
Aboard the houseboat where the accused was allegedly found sleeping, deputies reportedly encountered a scene of pervasive filth and suffering: a pungent odor of cat urine, feces-covered surfaces, and numerous animals living in conditions of severe neglect. A malnourished brown goat reportedly approached the glass door wearing a collar, its spine visible through its fur, its hooves grotesquely overgrown, its belly bloated, and patches of fur missing from its body. Three ducks were allegedly found walking on a bed so coated in fecal matter that dust puffed up with each step.
A bathroom was purportedly found to contain a goose, three ducks, and a disabled turkey — its toilet, shower, floor, and walls coated in feces, with a bucket of dark fluid on the floor, suggesting the birds had been confined there for an extended period. Nine juvenile chickens were reportedly found in a brooder box with an empty feeder and a dry, overturned waterer. Deputies stated that no food or water sources were found within proximity to any animals on the property.
District Attorney General Coty Wamp has acknowledged the extraordinary nature of this case and the community effort required to bring it to this point. The justice system must now respond with equal resolve. Sign this petition to demand the accused be prevented from harming any more animals in the future.
PETITION LETTER:
DA Wamp,
We are writing to urge your office regarding an individual who has allegedly been arrested multiple times in connection with the killing, neglect, and mistreatment of animals — most recently after deputies reportedly found him defying a court-ordered eviction and surrounding himself with dozens of animals in conditions described in arrest affidavits as deplorable beyond measure. According to those affidavits, the property contained goat skulls, a recently deceased goat still showing insect activity, and evidence that other animals were consuming decomposing remains. Aboard the houseboat where the accused was allegedly sleeping, animals were reportedly found living in feces-covered conditions with no access to food or water — including a visibly emaciated goat whose spine could be felt through its fur and nine juvenile chickens with an empty feeder and a dry, overturned waterer.
We commend your office for seeking to amend the conditions of the accused’s bond to prohibit him from owning or possessing any animal, and we strongly support that effort. This individual must be prevented from ever having animals under his charge again.
The community that rallied together to bring this case to your attention is watching, and the animals who cannot speak for themselves are depending on the justice system to act decisively. Please ensure animals are protected from similar abuse in the future.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Armin Kübelbeck
