Residents of New Forest, Hampshire are worried about a serial killer that has been targeting livestock in the area. Since 2019, multiple goats and sheep have been found mutilated in the area. The animals have been found with satanic symbols on their bodies. The police are investigating the killings to find out if a cult or a budding serial killer is behind the deaths.

Recently, a sheep was found dead on the road with a pitchfork sticking out of its side. There was also an inverted straw cross propped on the side of the carcass. Previously in November 2019, a cow and a sheep were found stabbed to death in Bramshaw. The sheep also had satanic symbols spray-painted on it. A third sheep was found with its entrails ripped out of its body in Boldre.

These killings are the most recent cases being investigated by the Hampshire police. The investigation on the livestock serial killer was launched in January 2019, after the discovery of six mutilated goat carcasses in a 20-mile radius. The Police Pegan Association (PPA) also joined the investigation to decipher if the deaths were ritualistic cult killings. However, the PPA claims that the work is not related to occult practices and that the suspect is likely a deranged person working alone.

Leading criminal profiler, Mick Neville, seems to agree with the PPA. Neville believes that the attacks are orchestrated by the unknown man who was known as the Hampshire Horse Ripper in the 90s.

The Sun pointed out that around 30 horses were mutilated, abused, and murdered by an unknown killer between 1991 to 1993. The police launched Operation Mountbatten, named after the horse of the same name which was brutally slashed until it died of a heart attack, to find the person behind the attacks.

Over the span of two years, the attacker/s had killed a number of horses, burnt some with corrosive materials, mutilated them with knives, and even sexually assaulted a mare with a pole. The investigation was closed when the attacks stopped in 1993. Neville postulates that the killer might have been in prison or might have been in the army for 26 years. Since his release, he resumed his attacks. Supporting his theory, Neville stated that since the attacker has aged, the size of the animals he attacked have become smaller.

Locals and Neville are worried that the serial animal abuser might soon be targeting people to satisfy his bloodlust. Many serial killers, like Ted Bundy and Ian Brady, started off by abusing animals before they started attacking people.