Shawn Brayden Jones Idaho man shoots Mailee Cooper, ex girlfriend’s horse dead who she kept on his property after ending their relationship.
An Idaho man is alleged to have fatally shot his ex girlfriend’s ‘beloved’ horse, multiple times, killing after she ended their relationship.
Mailee Cooper, 22, had recently broken up with Shawn Brayden Jones, 24, and her 12-year-old horse Bree, who she owned since the animal was 3 years old had been staying on the man’s property.
Jones allegedly told police the horse had not ‘been fed or taken care of’ and wasn’t of any use, so ‘he needed to put it down.’
‘no logical reason for his first step to be to shoot the animal’
Jones claimed he shot the horse four times with a lever-action .22-rifle, on February 7 according to the East Idaho News.
After the horse’s death, Cooper posted a tribute online and noted Bree ‘wasn’t just my best friend she was my faithful companion and protector.’
Jones claimed no one had visited the horse since January 31, a full six days before police arrived to question him.
On the day of the horse being shot, Sheriff’s deputies in Bingham County met with Jones. Deputies claimed Jones smelled of alcohol and ‘the smell grew has he spoke more.’
When deputies examined the horse they found that other than having been shot, ‘the horse appeared to be in good health’ and ‘there were no signs of malnourishment or neglect.’
A family member spoke to the deputy privately and admitted Jones ‘was out of control’ and ‘did not need to shoot the horse,’ recommending he be charged.
The deputy said to the man that there had been ‘no logical reason for his first step to be to shoot the animal‘ and wondered why he never called animal control if the horse was in bad shape.
Cooper was contacted a few hours later and said she had been at the property to see the horse hours earlier and that a friend even fed it on February 2. She was ‘adamant the horse was not mistreated at all.’
She added Jones was drinking and had been ‘irate’ over their breakup, which led her to go find a truck and trailer to pick the horse up.
Cooper, while driving to go get the trailer, was called by the relative of Jones to say he’d shot Bree.
She said the horse was worth $10,000 and had been registered with the American Quarter Horse Association.
Jones reportedly admitted to shooting the horse after Cooper had come to visit and was offering to pay half what the horse was worth.
Deputies eventually subjected Jones to a breathalyzer test, where he provided a blood alcohol content sample that was .186, double the legal driving limit according to the Idaho State Journal.
The deputy then arrested Jones and subsequently charged him with the felony malicious injury to property charge. While being arrested, Jones offered to pay for half of what Bree was worth but also ‘made it a point to state that he did not regret shooting the horse,’ the report says.
Cooper told reporters that Bree had ‘pretty much took a bullet for me’ and that she wants justice.
A GoFundMe has been started by a friend of Cooper to help her raise the cash to buy a new horse. The fundraiser which was started a week ago had to date only raised $770 of a $10K goal.
Jones remains incarcerated on $30,000 bond. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for him on March 13.
A conviction could see the ex boyfriend face up to five years in prison along with a fine for $1000.
And then there were these responses on social media (below) that caught this author’s attention. See what you think?
Why did she leave her beloved horse with him. He is a horrible human being. A go fund me is ridiculous. If she couldn’t protect her horse she doesn’t need another one and if she can’t afford to buy her own she can’t afford to own another horse. They are expensive to give proper care to. Poor horse deserved better.
This guy would’ve graduated to harming his ex-girlfriend in due time.
