So Supernatural – THE UNKNOWN: Animal Mutilations

Podcast: So Supernatural
Host: Audiochuck | Crime House
Episode: THE UNKNOWN: Animal Mutilations
Date: December 12, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode delves into the chilling and perplexing phenomenon of animal mutilations—the ongoing reports of livestock and farm animals discovered dead under extraordinarily strange and grisly circumstances. The hosts analyze famous cases, possible explanations (from cults to government conspiracies to extraterrestrial involvement), and government investigations. They balance skeptical and supernatural viewpoints, weaving firsthand accounts, historical context, conspiracy theories, and personal insights into an engaging exploration of one of true crime’s most baffling mysteries.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Unnatural Deaths of Animals: An Introduction

• Ashley Flowers (01:57): Sets the stage by reflecting on nature’s cycles, and how these mutilation cases disrupt our understanding of life and death, calling into question what is truly “natural.”
  • “When something dies in such an unnatural way, it really calls everything we know about the cycle of life into question. It disrupts the quiet balance when nature doesn't behave the way it's supposed to. It's unsettling.”
• The hosts stress the distress and confusion felt by animal owners encountering such inexplicable deaths.

2. The Case That Started It All: “Lady” the Horse (aka “Snippy”)

• San Luis Valley, Colorado, 1967
  • Racha Pecorero (05:07): Shares the unsettling discovery by Harry King of his horse, Lady, found dead with flesh and skin missing from her torso to her head.
  • No blood, no tracks, missing organs like lungs and brain, with a “perfect hole right at the top of her head, like someone drilled through it” (06:56).
  • Yvette Gentile (07:43): Comments on the surgical precision of the wounds; farmers and local experts could find no logical explanation.

3. The Spread and Pattern of Animal Mutilations

• Racha Pecorero (09:23), Yvette Gentile (09:50):
  • Reports multiply across the US through the 1970s: Nebraska, Colorado, California, Utah, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Montana and more.
  • Shared characteristics:
    • No cause of death determined
    • No signs of struggle or animal attack
    • Organs removed with extraordinary precision
    • No blood or tracks near the bodies

“Some of them have no blood in them at all, almost as if they were completely drained of every drop in their bodies...cuts are perfectly straight and precise. Almost like what you'd expect if a surgeon had removed everything with a knife or even a laser.”
– Racha Pecorero (10:44)

4. Early Theories: Government Involvement & “Unmarked Helicopters”

• Unmarked helicopters as a recurring theme spotted at mutilation sites (13:30-16:08).
  • Farmers report being tailed, sometimes even shot at, by helicopter occupants; speculation arises about secret government projects.
• Yvette Gentile (16:08): Describes conspiracy theories involving government bioweapon testing, but notes logical inconsistencies:
  • Experiments could be performed in labs, not farms.
  • Some mutilations precede chemical weapons bans.

5. Official Investigations: FBI, DCI, and Mounties

• Racha Pecorero (20:41):
  • 1979: FBI and other agencies formally investigate due to mounting pressure and persistent rumors.
  • Animal mutilations documented as early as the 17th century (e.g., sheep deaths in 1606 England).
  • By 1970s, some sources estimate 1,000+ cases in the US alone.

6. Cults and Satanic Panic

• Yvette Gentile (23:32):
  • Iowa DCI and RCMP suggest culprits could be human—specifically, a satanic cult called the “Sons of Satan.”
  • Sensational rumors: Midnight rituals, cannibalism, rumored missing fingers among cultists, none of which are substantiated.
  • The rumor appears to stem from a poorly researched student paper that made its way into local press.

“So the FBI goes looking for these satan worshipping cult members who are allegedly missing fingers. And guess what? They can't find anyone who fits that description.”
– Yvette Gentile (25:35)

7. FBI’s Official Explanation (1980) & Backlash

• Racha Pecorero (26:43; 30:32):
  • FBI concludes mutilations are due to ordinary predators and decomposition (e.g., blood “drained” is gravity coagulation, precise cuts are animal bites).
  • Farmers and ranchers reject this, citing lack of tracks, blood at the site, and anomalous details that don’t fit predation or scavenging.

“But the farmers who have found mutilated animals say that's just not the case. The death sites have been described as pristine. So I have a very hard time with this whole predator theory.”
– Racha Pecorero (33:02)

• Yvette Gentile (34:13): Notes FBI reports lacked toxicology or full autopsies, fueling suspicion of a government cover-up.

8. Alien Conspiracy Theories

• Racha Pecorero (36:12):
  • UFO sightings frequently coincide with mutilations.
  • In Lady’s case, local judge and officers see mysterious orange lights above the region; ground near the carcass appears scorched.
• 1975: Minnesota case with dead mules at centers of burnt crop circles displaying high radiation.

“Each time mutilation reports roll in, people consistently spot strange craft in the sky, either right before or right after the dead animals are found.”
– Racha Pecorero (39:50)

• Yvette Gentile (40:20):
  • Mentions famed UFO researcher J. Allen Hynek, ties in Project Blue Book, speculation that government is either investigating or covering up alien involvement.

9. Modern Recurrence and Ongoing Mystery

• Texas, 2023: Seven cows mutilated across different counties, all missing tongues; no cause of death determined, no signs of scavengers; in two, genitals and surrounding hide removed in a perfect circle.
  • Yvette Gentile (46:10): Similar cases in Oregon (2024) and Montana (2025).
  • A recent Oregon case: Cow found dead, sitting upright, which is atypical for deaths by predation or illness.

10. Discussion and Theories: Hosts’ Conclusions

• Hosts share their views (42:18-43:32):

  • Racha is convinced by the alien explanation:

    “But as for me, and I can assume my sister, I believe it’s aliens. Aliens. Aliens, aliens.”

  • Yvette is similarly skeptical of government explanations, citing lack of evidence for natural predation and the precision of the wounds.

    “I absolutely believe it was intelligent being that did this...the precision that these animals were killed, it just doesn’t make sense.” (42:57)

• Regardless of the cause, the financial and emotional damage to farmers and ranchers is significant (Yvette Gentile, 44:13).

11. Open Questions & Final Thoughts

• The phenomenon dies down in the ‘80s but resurges in the 2020s, leaving the mystery as open and unsettling as ever.
• Yvette Gentile (47:50): Raises questions—Are we witnessing evidence of hidden truths, supernatural forces, or simply misunderstanding nature?

  “Farmers are the heartbeat of America. They understand the rhythms of nature better than anyone else. And when those rhythms are disrupted, they feel it first.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Ashley Flowers (01:57):

  “When something dies in such an unnatural way, it really calls everything we know about the cycle of life into question. It disrupts the quiet balance when nature doesn't behave the way it's supposed to.”

• Racha Pecorero (10:44):

  “Some of them have no blood in them at all, almost as if they were completely drained of every drop in their bodies...cuts are perfectly straight and precise. Almost like what you'd expect if a surgeon had removed everything with a knife or even a laser.”

• Yvette Gentile (16:08):

  “Nobody knows for sure, but conspiracy theorists say that top secret government divisions use unmarked helicopters to do off the books operations.”

• Yvette Gentile (42:57):

  “I absolutely believe it was intelligent being that did this, because the precision that these animals were killed, it just doesn't make sense...”

• Racha Pecorero (47:50):

  “So what should we make of all of this? Are these strange deaths part of a bigger hidden truth about the mysterious universe that we live in? Or is there something we have yet to understand...?”

Important Timestamps

• 01:57: Introduction to animal mutilation phenomenon by Ashley Flowers
• 05:07 - 08:46: The mysterious case of Snippy/Lady the horse
• 09:23 - 12:00: Accounts of similar mutilations spreading across the US
• 13:30 - 17:52: Unmarked helicopters, government conspiracy theories, and official responses
• 20:41 - 26:43: FBI, DCI, and Mounties’ investigations and conflicting reports
• 30:32 - 34:54: FBI’s “natural causes” explanation and ranchers’ skepticism
• 36:12 - 42:18: UFOs and support for alien theories; references to Project Blue Book
• 45:00 - 47:50: Recent cases (2023–2025), ongoing mystery, and emotional impact
• 47:50 - end: Philosophical wrap-up, open questions, and closing thoughts

Tone & Style

The hosts maintain a balance between earnest skepticism, respectful curiosity, and the playful, sometimes incredulous tone that defines the paranormal-true crime intersection. They present the facts, challenge official narratives, and invite listeners to draw their own conclusions—all while clearly expressing their personal leanings toward supernatural explanations.

Summary

“So Supernatural: THE UNKNOWN: Animal Mutilations” explores a true crime mystery that straddles the line between the inexplicable and the unimaginable. Though theories run the gamut—from mundane predators to secret government agents to aliens—the phenomenon remains unsolved, its true nature hidden deep within the unknown. The episode thoughtfully examines the evidence, the historical record, expert and eyewitness accounts, and the persistent gaps in all official explanations, leaving listeners both haunted and hungry for answers.