Atlanta

Goat carcasses found behind home are from ritualistic killing, police say

By Matt Johnson, WSB-TV
By Matt Johnson, WSB-TV

ATLANTA — Ritualistic killings led to the discovery of decapitated goats in a southwest Atlanta neighborhood, police said.

A construction crew found what was left of the three goats behind a house on Elixir Avenue on Thursday morning.

It is believed that someone killed the goats somewhere else during a religious ritual and then illegally dumped them in the backyard of a home under construction.

"We came up to work and we smelled something," said Joe Radford, one of the men who discovered the goats. "Somebody had a ceremony."

Due to a city policy that prevents the removal of dead animals on private property, a local humanitarian came to the site, put the goats in bags and left the bags along a curb.

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"We have a responsibility to fight evil with kindness and compassion," said Grace Hamlin, with the local nonprofit The W-Underdogs.

A 311 dispatcher said someone from the city would remove and dispose of the bags within 24 hours.

Hamlin often works with the Atlanta Police Animal Cruelty Task Force. She is optimistic there will be an outreach effort made by police to speak to experts on ritualistic killings. 

"We're hoping we can get more professionals, more people who know what they’re doing, to help us identify what’s going on here," she said.

Robby Caban, a Southwest Atlanta realtor, was concerned about the vacant lots and homes that attract the illegal dumping.

“I would hope these lots wouldn’t be empty,” she said. “I would hope our government would be more responsive.”

Cox Media Group

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