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Authorities raided OSU fraternity Alpha Gamma Rho after the mutilated carcass of a longhorn was dumped outside a rival's house last week before a title football game against University of Texas.
Police served a search warrant at the off-campus frat house Wednesday, searching for evidence fraternity brothers mutilated the steer, carving 'F**k FH' onto the cow's side and later dumping it on the front lawn of rival FarmHouse frat on Dec. 1.
'Some of the information that was given to us does indicate as possibly a back and forth feud between the fraternities such as a prank war, but, obviously, got taken a little bit further than it needed to have been,' Stillwater Police Lieutenant TJ Low told the local Fox station.
Cops zeroed in Alpha Gamma Rho a day after the dead cow was found, asking the organization to provide what investigators called 'imperative information about the acquisition, transportation, and dumping,' of the steer.
Additionally, the longhorn was suffering from a natural disease before its death.
Longhorn steer found dead at FarmHouse Fraternity house near OSU campus in Stillwater, Oklahoma
A criminal investigation is underway on the Oklahoma State University campus where a dead Longhorn steer was found this morning in front of a fraternity house. Stillwater Police tell me that the animal was found in front of the Farmhouse Fraternity around 6:30. OSU plays the… pic.twitter.com/4kZZ7MJYtU
— J.D. Miles (@jdmiles11) December 1, 2023Alpha Gamma Rho is cooperating with investigators, according to a statement released over the weekend
Alpha Gamma Rho released a statement condemning the incident a day after a dead Longhorn was found on the lawn of a different fraternity
'The initial investigation through the necropsy report revealed that the animal was already in a diseased state, so their interpretation was that the animal was possibly dead prior to being disposed of,' Low added.
Cops believe the Longhorn was dropped off overnight by what appeared to be a truck or trailer, based on tire tracks.
Alpha Gamma Rho claimed to be cooperating with police and conducting its own investigation, according to a statement released over the weekend.
'This conduct is inconsistent with our fraternity's values,' the frat said. 'Alpha Gamma Rho does not condone this behavior.'
Even if the animal died of natural causes, the mutilation and dumping of the body is still illegal, police warned.
FarmHouse Fraternity was quick to deny an involvement Friday.
The FarmHouse Fraternity says its members were not involved
'No FarmHouse member was involved in this incident and we do not condone cruelty or defacing of livestock in any manner,' the statement revealed.
They added that they called police as soon as they found the cow's remains.
The incident happened before OSU's football team lost to the Texas Longhorns Saturday in Dallas for the Big 12 Championship title.
It's unclear if the Longhorn's slaying is related to the football game.
One social media account associated with OSU fans, or Pokes, tweeted, 'Someone took #texashateweek a little too far…'
Texas' governor, a former Longhorn weighed in online.
OSU played the Texas Longhorns in the Big 12 championship game Saturday and lost
'That ain't right. BIG mistake,' Gov. Greg Abbott tweeted Friday afternoon.
Pranks between rival colleges before or after big games are common in the Lone Star State, and neighboring Oklahoma.
In recent years, they have risen to the level of vandalism.
In 2015, Texas Christian University students traveled from Fort Worth, Texas to rival Baylor University in Waco, Texas and spray-painted the statue of Baylor Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III with TCU colors.
Anyone responsible for this could face animal cruelty charges, a felony.
Anyone with information to contact police at 405-372-4171 or on the tip line at 405-533-8477.
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