NORWICH – Lauren L. McMaster, 76, of New Berlin, appeared in Chenango County Court on Friday, his fourth appearance since being indicted by a Chenango County grand jury in May of 2012 for the alleged shooting and killing of six horses belonging to his neighbor.
McMaster faces six counts of second degree criminal mischief, a class D felony, and one count of tampering with physical evidence, a class E felony.
On Friday, the court heard the sworn testimony of the investigating officer, New York State Trooper James Place, which was reviewed along with written statements McMaster made to authorities during the course of the initial investigation.
According to his testimony, Place – on or about April 28, 2012 – responded to a call concerning two dead horses received from the horses’ owner, Joseph Mocco Jr. Upon arrival at Mocco’s Hunts Pond Road residence in New Berlin, Place did indeed discover two dead horses and – following an interview with Mocco – conducted a separate interview with Mocco’s neighbor, McMaster. During the interview, McMaster gave a written statement stating he had grown increasingly frustrated with livestock trespassing on his property and had engaged Mocco in multiple dialogues regarding his frustration. McMaster had noticed a herd of twelve or so horses in his hayfield, he said, and – deciding to take action – he loaded a 12-gauge shotgun with the intention of killing one of the animals to “send a message to Mr. Mocco.” Approaching the herd with his loaded weapon, McMaster singled out a few horses and fired multiple times.
According to his first written statement, McMaster was not sure if he had shot any of the horses.
Later that day, Trooper Place received a report from Mocco concerning the discovery of additional dead horses on his property. The following day, April 29, 2012, Trooper Place returned to Mocco’s home and discovered another three dead horses concealed on Mocco’s property. When Trooper Place approached McMaster again, stating he had found more dead horses, McMaster responded, “All four of them?”
A fourth, younger horse was later discovered concealed near the other three, according to Trooper Place’s testimony.
During Place’s second conversation with McMaster, he took another written statement, this time McMaster stating that – after seeing a herd of approximately fourteen horses in one of his upper pastures – he decided to take action. Taking aim with the 12-gauge shotgun, he fired an estimated nine slugs, aiming specifically for the herd’s stallion. Rounding up the startled horses, he attempted to finish off the wounded, allegedly admitting to killing three of the horses in the field. Two of the wounded animals left the area and were subsequently discovered by Mocco. The following day, April 28, 2012, according to his written statement, McMaster invited a friend – whom he pointedly refused to name – to help him dispose of the three dead horses in his meadow. At this time, he saw a one-year-old horse nuzzling the body of one of the dead bodies. According to the statement made by McMaster to the police, and upon seeing the young horse, he took aim and fired. The horse went down but got up again, following which McMaster fired again – and once again – shooting the young horse, according to his statement, a total of three times.
The dead horses were, according to Trooper Place’s testimony, very well camouflaged. He also testified to seeing tractor tracks as well as horse hoof prints on McMaster’s property. When Trooper Place asked why he had moved the horses, it’s alleged McMaster stated he wanted to move the horses onto Mocco’s property, and that he had seen Place at Mocco’s house, knowing he would be coming to talk to him soon.
“The People are ready for trial,” said District Attorney Joseph McBride. “But it will be up to the defendant if we proceed,” he said, adding that a trial is currently scheduled.
McMaster could face up to 35 years in state prison if convicted on all charges.