Case closed?
Not so fast said the owner of a sacred white buffalo after an official investigation concluded the animal died of natural causes and was not killed as previously believed.
Arby Little Soldier has called a 4 p.m. press conference to refute the findings of Hunt County Sheriff Randy Meeks.
Tuesday, at his own press conference, Meeks formally closed the investigation. Meeks said Lightning Medicine Cloud and its mother had been buried for six days before investigators were given access to their carcasses. While Little Soldier claimed the buffalo had been skinned, Meeks said a veterinarian’s report showed the buffalo had its skin.
"We have photographs indicating Lightning Medicine Cloud was not skinned," Meeks said. "The photographs depict skin and hair on the remains and the vet advised there was a lot of skin that was still left on the remains."
Little Soldier is now claiming Meeks covered up the true findings of the investigation.
“There was no skin on him,” Little Soldier said.
He said Lightning’s mother died three days after the calf and that she was suffering from a gunshot wound.
In July, Little Soldier was questioned by investigators about the $45,000 reward fund that came from the public. He now says most of the money came from him and the rest came in the form of pledges and not actual contributions.
The birth of a white buffalo is considered an auspicious sign for some Native Americans. They say it is a sign of the unity of all people.
