FBI file: Animal Mutilation, Animal Mutilation Part 05

Read from the scan by GLM-OCR; expect the odd misread word.

# Mutilation Uninvestigated

Continued from Page 1 prove valuable to any investigator.

"That doesn't sound like complete investigating." Schmitt said of the omission of Valdez' participation.

In light of the lack of investigation of the Truchas episode, the SUN has received a number of reports from confidential sources about dissatisfaction with the course Rommel's investigation is taking.

Other persons express fears that not only Rommel, but the District Attorney and the State Police, are working together to cover up whatever is behind the

Persons who have spoken to the investigator complain he is "brusque," or "too flippant," or he doesn't take their ideas or their reports seriously, and they'd rather not discuss with him further mutilation phenomena.

mutilations, and rumors are spreading fast.

"Eloy Martinez went to the State Police and told them that Gabe Valdez is not to have any part in this investigation," one serious Valdez fan told the SUN.

Another version of that story is that a "muzzle" has been placed on Valdez.

Both stories were denied Tuesday by State Police Chief Martin Vigil and by the district attorney.

"I have not put out any orders to that effect," Vigil said. He explained that he has asked that information be channelled to Rommel, but if a state policeman should get a call on a suspected mutilation, he should "go on over there."

The district attorney, too, denies the existence of a gag order on any state police officer.

"I never have, and never will, impose any kind of a gag rule on any law enforcement officer because I don't have that authority nad even if I did it would be impractical for me to impose any form of gag rule," he said.

Of the alleged meeting with Vigil, he said, he believed that the story grew from an actual conversation he had with the chief.

"I think that the meeting was only my request to the chief that since we now have a designated project director in charge that it would probably be best to have everything relating to mutilations funnelled through that investigator.

"If for no other reason, the grant terms and conditions calls for that

kind of a concept."

Martinez said a teletype received by every affiliate State Police officer of the state assigned Richard C de Baca as liaison between officers and Rommel and that "relates to the notion that if there is a mute in their responsibility that hopefully they will contact Rommel."

Of Rommel's failure to appear at the Truchas suspected mutilation, he said he is "reasonably assured that Ken is looking into it."

"This happened on a weekend and its one of those instances where I

believe an effort was made to contact Rommel with no success."

Of the allegations of a cover-up, Martinez said, "The only thing I can really state I would flatly deny basis for supporting the contention that there is a cover-up if for no other reason than it would put the grant in jeopardy."

He advised those with such contentions to "apply to the grantee, the Law Enforcement Assistance Association." with that complaint. The LEAA, he contends, would "support" the complainant "one hundred per cent."