Detectives search for suspect who dumped dozens of dead sheep near I-5 in Fresno County
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- Fresno detectives found 50 to 100 dead sheep illegally dumped near I-5.
- Detectives have few leads; they will interview local sheep farmers and owners.
- County environmental health will clean the site; local rendering plant closed in 2023.
Detectives with the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office Agricultural Crimes Task-Force are investigating the illegal dumping of up to 100 dead sheep in west Fresno County.
Tony Botti, a Sheriff’s Office spokesperson, said Wednesday that the department was alerted to the mass grave, near Interstate 5 and Kamm Avenue, by KMPH Fox 26.
What detectives found was a dry creek bed with between 50 and 100 dead sheep. Some of the animals were completely decomposed while others appear to have been recently dumped there.
“It appears they have been there from several weeks to months,” Botti said.
So far, detectives have few leads. The owners of the property live out of state and were not aware of who might have been trespassing on their land, Botti said.
Detectives plan on interviewing sheep farmers in the area to try and find out if they know who the sheep belonged to, how they died, and why there were illegally dumped.
Botti said those responsible could be charged with trespassing and illegal dumping. In the meantime, the dump will be cleaned up by the county’s environmental health department.
“They are working to get this cleaned up as quickly as possible,” Botti said.
Typically, livestock owners rely on a rendering factory for removal of dead carcasses. Fresno County’s last rendering plant, Darling Ingredients at 795 W. Belgravia Ave., shut down in 2023. Kings County has a rendering plant operated by Central Valley Meat Company in Hanford.
This story was originally published October 30, 2025 at 1:47 PM.
