Pregnant goat disemboweled
Kilauea, HI (US)

Incident Date: Friday, Apr 29, 2011
County: Kauai

Charges: Misdemeanor
Disposition: Alleged

Alleged:
» Russell Hoomanawanui
» Ryan Winchell

The two men accused of disemboweling a goat on Kauai in April were arraigned in court Wednesday.

Russell Hoomanawanui and Ryan Winchell, both 29, are accused of slaughtering a 4-year-old pregnant goat and her two unborn kids on a maternity field a mile away from the main Kunana Dairy Farm in Kilauea.

The two men went before a judge on Kauai where they pled not guilty.

Ryan Winchell and Russell Hoomanawanui of Kilaueahave been charged with first-degree criminal property damage, second-degree theft, theft of livestock, and second-degree cruelty to animals, a misdemeanor If convicted, the two men each face a maximum 10 years in prison.

The two are both free on bail, $8,100 for Winchell, and $8,000 for Hoomanawanui. Winchell asked the court to allow him to travel to Nevada while awaiting a preliminary hearing set for 1 p.m. June 30 before District Judge Trudy Senda. Senda said she would allow Winchell to leave Hawaii if he surrenders his passport, and agrees to an increase in bail to $40,000.

Deputy Prosecutor Jake Dela Plane, who is handling the case, said the two men could not be charged with first-degree cruelty to animals since the charge covers pets or equine animals.

"The amount of hurt and hardship that has been placed on my family. We should have some justice," said Louisa Wooton, co-owner of Kunana Dairy.

But the two men are blaming each other for the crime. After Wednesday's hearing, Hoomanawanui said he didn't do it.

"Ryan Winchell did kill that goat. I stepped up to the Wooton family, went to their house, told them who killed their goat. I know the truth. I mean, he didn't step forward to the family," Hoomanawanui said.

Winchell's attorney, Michael Green, admits his client was with Hoomanawanui but that Winchell is not the killer.

"It certainly was not my client. But had police continued their investigation, they would have found the goat hanging in the other guy's garage next to his lawn mower. So they just didn't go far enough," Green said.

Wooton confirmed Hoomanawanui's visit and the confession that he was involved.

"You don't have an animal that's running around after being shot, bleeding all over the place. That's not anything but cruel and horrific. And anyone that does that needs to be accountable. This was not hunting. This was two individuals who had no other intent other than to do harm to an innocent animal and then ultimately to our family. This was more an act of violence and actual derangement and just viciousness. That's what it was," Wooton said.

The family-owned Kauai Kunana Dairy had offered an $11,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the goat's killer.

References

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