STILLWATER, Okla. — Four members of the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity at Oklahoma State University were arrested earlier this week in connection with a dead longhorn left at a fraternity ahead of the school's Big 12 championship game against the University of Texas.
According to police, the steer was found outside a rival fraternity's porch before the game. A report said the steer died from a disease 36 hours before it was placed on the lawn.
For their roles in the incident, Bennett Fady, Luke Ackerley, Brody Shelby and Andrew King were each charged with a misdemeanor count of unlawful removal or disposal of a carcass. All four have pleaded not guilty.
The carcass had an expletive carved into its side, and the stomach was cut open, according to the campus newspaper, The O'Colly. Stillwater, Okla., police told news outlets in Oklahoma that tire tracks were found near the animal’s body.
Oklahoma State University officials released a statement following the incident in December:
"Oklahoma State University is appalled at the disturbing display of animal cruelty that occurred overnight at an off-campus location near a fraternity house. The Stillwater Police Department is investigating the incident, and the university’s Office of Student Support and Conduct also has initiated an investigation. Oklahoma State expects all students to adhere to university codes of conduct, and appropriate action will be taken based on the outcome of the investigation."
A representative for FarmHouse Fraternity Oklahoma State, which was founded in 1905 by agriculture students, released a statement to KOCO that reads in part: "As a chapter founded on principles driven by our agricultural roots, we're just as sickened and surprised by this incident as our peers on campus. It is disheartening to see the disregard for proper animal welfare and treatment displayed by this situation."