Who executed animals along stretch of Pennsylvania highway? Mystery grows

Investigators remain stumped in a bizarre series of animal executions late last year along Pennsylvania’s Quehanna Highway, even as social media outrage grows.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission says the dead include three large elk — all left rotting in plain sight by the shooter, or shooters.

“The animals were shot with a small caliber firearm,” state officials posted, revealing one of their few clues.

Photos of the large carcasses were shared by the department on Facebook, showing them littering the highway at the tree line.

All were found in Elk County’s Medix community during the final week of November, according to the release. The area is about 125 miles northeast of Pittsburgh.

Clues leading to a culprit apparently have been hard to find, however, leading to a public plea for tips posted Jan. 27.

Multiple foundations and individuals joined forces to provide thousands in reward money “for information leading to a successful prosecution in this case,” a release said.

The killings have been widely condemned on social media as “senseless” and “evil.”

“If I had any info, I’d sell them out in a heartbeat!” posted Rob Craven on the state’s Facebook page.

“Those elk are close to tame, takes a real big person to shoot them, or any animals for fun!! Hope karma plays a huge part of your life,” wrote Tammy Ricciuti Impiccini.

“A good argument for gun control. Keep them out of the hands of those who would do such a heinous act. An honest licensed hunter certainly would not!” wrote Patricia Gould.