Cow killed, shot with bow & arrow Unity, ME (US) Incident Date: Saturday, Feb 29, 1992 County: Waldo Local Map: available Disposition: Convicted Abusers/Suspects: » Dieter W Ganshaw, Jr » Peter Leo » John Foster » Anthony Spiller » Christopher Hill

Case ID: 2989 Classification: Shooting Animal: cow View more cases in ME (US) Login to Watch this Case

Two former Unity College students charged with killing a pregnant dairy cow with a bow and arrow last spring pleaded guilty to assorted charges in 5th District Court on Tuesday. A third memer of the group failed to appear in court and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

The three men were studying to be game wardens in the college's conservation law program when they were arrested last March for shooting and butchering a local man's cow. The incident book place in Unity.

Judge F. Davis Clark sentenced Dieter W. Ganshaw, Jr., 20, of Yarmouth, Mass., and Peter Leo, 21, of Auburn, Mass. each to three days in jail on a charge of night hunting and handed down fines of $560 for theft by unauthorized taking and $250 for shooting a domestic animal. Each man was ordered to make $385 restitution to Rogert Elwell, owner of the cow.

Judge Clark issued a bench warrant for John Foster, 24, of Merrimack, NH, for failing to appear to answer charges of night hunting, theft by unauthorized taking, shooting a domestic animal, and fraudulently obtaining a license or permit.

The 700 pound cow was killed by an arrow shot to the neck. After the killing, two additional Unity College students, Anthony Spiller, 20, of Oakland and Christopher Hill, 20, of Winslow, were charged for helping the other butcher Elwell's cow. The young men cooked a portion of the meat the night the cow was killed.

In May, Spiller pleaded guilty to receiving stolen property, was fined $500 and ordered to make $385 restitution.

On the same day, Hill, who also was found to be in possession of protected species, was fined $500 for a charge of theft by unauthorized taking, $300 for illegal possession of wild birds, and ordered to make restitution of $385.

Ganshaw, Leo and Foster were apprehended by Waldo County Sheriff's Deputy Michael Boyer while hunting the same night the cow was killed. The three had in their possession a light, a bow and arrows. Boyer said the men told him they were hunting coyotes. When the cow's carcass was discovered the next day, Boyer decided to question the group.

All five students withdrew from college a few weeks after being charged.

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References

Bangor Daily News - Sept 8, 1993

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