ST. LUCIE COUNTY, Fla. — WPTV has learned that the investigations of stolen horses on the Treasure Coast could be connected.
"I would love to just think this is a coincidence," St. Lucie County Sheriff Keith Pearson, "but the reality of it is it's not."
Melanie Stavert, whose horse named Okie, was stolen off her property in Fort Pierce said her family is devastated.
"The girls they wanted a horse for a long time," Stavert said. "They finally got one, and now he's gone."
Her oldest daughter Ava said she's still trying to process the loss of her friend.
"He was the best," Ava Stavert said. "He'd do anything for me."
It's breaking her mother's heart.
"You can see the tear stains in her pillow," Melanie Stavert said. "It's just so sad."
The theft of the Staverts' horse isn't the only horse theft on the Treasure Coast. Three other animals were taken in Okeechobee County.
Pearson told WPTV he believes the horses were stolen, possibly to be slaughtered.
"We do know that there is a black market for horse meat," Pearson said. "I hope to God that that's not the case."
Richard Couto, the founder of Animal Recovery Mission, said they're offering a $25,000 reward to anyone with information that can lead to the arrest of whoever stole the horses. Couto said his organization investigates illegal horse slaughter in Florida.
"These rewards have worked in the past," Couto said. "In Palm Beach, they've worked in Broward and Miami-Dade counties, and we're hoping that it works here."
For now, Melanie Stavert said she hopes justice will be served.
"I hope they put an end to all the horse slaughters, and there's harsher punishments for people that do these sick crimes," Stavert said. "It is just sick."
