San Antonio's West Side witnessed a grim tableau as two individuals have been arrested in connection with the abandonment of an injured horse. KTSA reports that the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office found the injured animal next to a trailer behind a movie theater, a scene so dire that the horse had to be euthanized. Surveillance footage played a crucial role in the investigation, pinpointing 24-year-old David Morales-Mata as the individual who detached the trailer and left the scene.
Subsequent to locating the trailer, authorities uncovered a misleading effort by the suspects to obscure their tracks. Clarissa Morales-Gaytan, aged 23, reportedly filed a stolen vehicle report in an attempt to dissociate from the earlier incident. KTSA disclosed that Morales-Gaytan admitted to authorities that Morales-Mata had crashed the truck which was towing the horse trailer, leading to the animal’s injuries. Related to these events, the Bexar County Sheriff's Office placed charges on Morales-Mata that include animal cruelty to livestock animals and tampering with evidence, with his bond set at $10,000. Morales-Gaytan faces charges for filing a false report, carrying a bond of $1,500.
The incident, dating back to July 27, led to an investigation by the Bexar County Sheriff's Office's Animal Crimes Enforcement Unit after deputies arrived to discovered a severely injured horse and an adjacent wrecked trailer. KENS 5 describes the circumstance as an "extensive bloody scene," detailing the sequence of events that led to the animal's abandonment and eventual decision for euthanasia to prevent further suffering.
As detailed in the Bexar County Sheriff's Office's findings, the suspects reportedly attended a horse roping event prior to the incident. Following a crash involving the horse trailer, Morales-Mata allegedly instructed Morales-Gaytan to subsequently report the vehicle as stolen. The duo's plan was unraveled by the Bexar County Sheriff's Office with the aid of video evidence and subsequent admissions. KENS 5 notes Morales-Mata's account to Morales-Gaytan, claiming to have crashed while towing the horse, before he directed her to falsely report the truck stolen after leaving the horse in distress. With the charges placed, both individuals are currently facing legal repercussions for their actions, as outlined by the Bexar County Sheriff's Office.
