BIG COTTONWOOD CANYON – Unified police said at least a dozen chicken and goat heads were found in Big Cottonwood Canyon, and they think the dead animals were used in sacrifices.
Unified Police Department Detective Jared Richardson said they are investigating a case of ritual animal sacrifice near the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon.
Richardson said a woman hiking above the water treatment plant in the canyon found a basket with the animal heads inside it under a bridge that spans the creek. The bodies of the animals were in a bag nearby.
Richardson said they investigate five or six cases of ritual animal sacrifice in the canyon each year. The practice can cause greater concern when the animals are left near the creek, as they can contaminate drinking water.
Officials said contaminated drinking water was not a major concern in this case, as the animals were not in a serious state of decay when they were found.
