FALLON - A 19-year-old Fallon man and his 17-year-old brother have been charged with stabbing to death a llama late Saturday night.
Warren James Baglin and the juvenile, who is not being identified because of his age, were charged with felony killing an animal that belongs to another person, grand larceny and killing livestock. Baglin was also accused of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
Churchill County Sheriff Richard Ingram said an anonymous call came into the dispatch center at 11:45 p.m. from a caller reporting the crime and naming the suspects. When deputies arrived in the 5000 block of the Reno Highway, they spotted the dead animal in a field.
"Both initially denied any involvement. As we continued to follow up on where they said they had been, and who they said they had been with, we went back and re-interviewed them. They ultimately admitted to taking part in killing the animal," Ingram said.
He said there didn't appear to be a motive for the slaying except for one brother suggested they kill a llama and the other agreed.
"From interviews, that's how it came about, by saying, 'Hey, let's go kill a llama,' and the other one saying OK,'" he said.
He said each teen used a knife. The investigating deputies reported the animal was stabbed numerous times, but the number of wounds couldn't be determined.
Baglin was booked into the Churchill County Jail Sunday, where his bail was set at $32,132. He remained in custody late Tuesday afternoon. The juvenile was placed on house arrest and released to his parents, the sheriff said.
The llama belonged to John Trauth, who raises the animals on his ranch west of Fallon.
Trauth said he was awakened about midnight Saturday by a sheriff's deputy with the news.
The family had returned home at 9:30 p.m., but hadn't heard anything unusual. Trauth said he went to bed about an hour later.
He estimates the llama's value at $18,000.
Trauth said he and his family are disturbed by the idea that someone could kill a defenseless animal on a whim. He said his llamas are tame and trust humans.
"The Lord says to forgive and forget but something has to be done," he said.
Contact reporter Marlene Garcia at mgarcia@lahontanvalleynews.com.