Fears of horse thief on the loose in Wyoming as $25,000 blue roan stallion vanishes then is found dead while another mare of the same breed disappears from a field

Shadow Hawke and Pepper, both blue roan horses have gone missing in the past two months from ranches in WyomingOn January 25, Shadow Hawke who is worth $25,000 was found dead with a broken shoulder and internal injuriesOn December 9, Pepper, who is pregnant and worth $14,000 went missingHer owners believe she was stolen after they found their pasture's barbed-wire fence pushed down

Wyoming ranchers suspect a horse thief is loose in the state after a stallion and a mare – each worth thousands of dollars – mysteriously disappeared, before one turned up dead.

On January 11, a blue roan stallion named Shadow Hawke went missing from his barn at the Flying V Quarter Horses ranch in Wyoming.

Despite a $5000 reward for information about the stallion, officials were not able to find him.

But on January 25, the 1200 pound horse worth $25,000 was discovered near the outdoor arena of the property.

According to the stallion’s ranch owners, their beloved Shadow Hawke had suffered a broken shoulder and internal injuries.

In a Facebook post, they wrote: ‘Shadow Hawke has been found. His body was dumped in the outdoor arena sometime on the night of the 24th or early morning of the 25th.

‘An examination by the Vet indicated he had a broken shoulder and internal injuries.

‘The estimated time of death was three to five days ago – around a week after he was taken. Needless to say, the search is off, but the mystery continues.’

On January 11, a blue roan stallion named Shadow Hawke went missing from his barn at the Flying V Quarter Horses ranch in Wyoming

On January 25, Shadow Hawke who is worth $25,000 was found dead with a broken shoulder and internal injuries

But before Shadow Hawke vanished, a blue roan mare, named, Pepper, went missing on December 9 in the state.

Her owner, Vicki Kissack, said that she was pregnant, and believes that their beloved horse was stolen.

Vicki said her husband, Clark, had flown over their pasture and surrounding lands near Rozet last month but wasn’t able to spot Pepper.

The pair noted that four strands of their pasture’s barbed-wire fence were pushed down but none of their horses had any wounds – further indicating that the $14,000 worth mare had been stolen.

Vicki described Pepper as the couple’s friendliest horse and the easiest to steal.

‘Updated to STOLEN! Clark and Elgin flew for over an hour over the Rozet WY area today (Dec 10th) and never found her! Stolen Blue Roan Draft Mare from Adon Road Rozet WY Area.

‘No brand but Pepper has a droopy lower lip and has a rasp when she breaths from being sick when she was younger. She is bred to our blue roan stud, if someone has a new mare with a roan colt next June please let us know!,’ the couple wrote on Facebook.

On December 9, Pepper, who is pregnant and worth $14,000 went missing

Her owners believe she was stolen after they found their pasture’s barbed-wire fence pushed down

Vicki also said: ‘Blue roan Percherons are not super rare, but they are harder to come by. The blue roans are really hot on the market for now and have been for a few years.

‘People don’t think about that when they steal other people’s things. I think people who are stealing are thinking what it’s going to bring into their life, not what it’s taking from other people’s lives.’

Quentin Reynolds, Campbell County Undersheriff said that while he did not know if there was a connection between Pepper’s disappearance and the temporary disappearance and death of Shadow Hawke, there could be a connection.

Officials are investigating Pepper’s disappearance as a theft and aware of another incident involving a blue roan.

Mary Trostle from the Missing Equine Search & Awareness group told Cowboy State Daily there was possibility of an organized theft operation.

‘Clearly they’re all three blue roans, and all breeding’, the expert said.