Texas Woman Arrested in St. Landry Horse Theft Case

OPELOUSAS, La. (KPEL News) — A Texas woman is in custody after state livestock brand inspectors arrested her in connection with a horse theft investigation out of St. Landry Parish, according to the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry.

Meagan Breanna Byrd, 35, of Beaumont, turned herself in and was booked on two counts of livestock theft.

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What Happened at the St. Landry Parish Livestock Market

State inspectors say a St. Landry Parish livestock market contacted them in August after six horses were sold during two separate transactions, but were never paid for. The horses were valued at more than $7,000.

Investigators obtained arrest warrants for three people in the case. Byrd is the first to be booked. The remaining suspects have not been publicly identified, and additional arrests are expected as the investigation continues.

The six horses have not been recovered.

Livestock Theft in Louisiana: What Property Owners Should Know

Livestock theft is a serious agricultural crime in Louisiana, and the state takes it seriously through the Livestock Brand Commission, which operates 24 hours a day to investigate cases and assist livestock owners.

If you witness livestock theft or have information on agriculture-related crimes, the commission maintains a 24-hour Crime Stoppers hotline at 800-558-9741.

The History Behind Lafayette's Street Names

We drive them on a daily basis. Some are smoother than others. Some we use more frequently than others. Some randomly start, end, and/or change names. They're the streets of Lafayette. The names behind many of these streets have interesting histories. We take a look at where those names come from and the impact their namesakes have had on the city and the parish.

Gallery Credit: Joe Cunningham

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Source: Texas Woman Arrested in St. Landry Parish Horse Theft, More Arrests Coming

Categories: Louisiana News