4 more wild horses found dead in an eastern Arizona forest

SPRINGERVILLE — Authorities say four more wild horses have been found dead in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest in eastern Arizona.

Forest officials said Monday that the latest dead horses were discovered last Thursday inside the Heber Wild Horse Territory.

They say that brings the number of deceased wild horses found since October to 16 in the forest’s Black Mesa Ranger District.

Of that total, authorities say 10 horses had evidence of gunshot wounds.

Five were severely decomposed and their causes of death remain undetermined while one other horse died of blunt-force trauma typically associated with a motor vehicle collision. Forest Service officials say they’re working with the Navajo and Coconino county sheriff’s offices on the investigation into the deaths of the wild horses and “bring any potential perpetrators to justice.”