MARSHALL, TEXAS – A fourth suspect was arrested on Sunday and charged
with third degree felony theft of livestock after helping three other
suspects steal twelve head of penned yearling cattle from a Harrison County
ranch on Sept. 30, 2014. All four suspects are now under indictment as of
April 30 and were arrested on various dates.

This joint investigation was conducted by Texas and Southwestern Cattle
Raisers Association[2] (TSCRA) Special Ranger Larry Hand and Harrison
County Sheriff’s Investigator BJ Fletcher.

Hand and many local authorities have been working on this investigation
since Sept. 30, 2014 and evidentiary leads spanned across 4 counties. The
arrest of the fourth suspect, Alex Christopher Hinton, 34, of Carthage,
Texas, occurred after Hinton’s employer and the alleged suspect’s truck
were located in March 2015. Witnesses had described a flatbed truck to Hand
in October and he was able to locate the suspect’s truck in March with
help from DPS Intelligence. Panola Deputies arrested Hinton after
indictment.  

On Sept. 30, 2014 Stacie Laine Soape, 43; Hinton; Michael Duane Nettles,
31; and Elizabeth Ann Newton, all from Carthage, Texas, stole twelve head
of penned yearlings around midnight from a Harrison County ranch. Soape,
Nettles and Newton then returned to the ranch later that night and stole
saddles and tools.

Seven of the twelve head of cattle have been retrieved and Hinton
allegedly took his share of five head of yearlings from a hidden location
in Panola County on the night of the theft. Three saddles, assorted tack
and numerous power tools and equipment were recovered on Oct. 2, 2014.

“Ear notches were important in locating and identifying the stolen cattle
we have recovered.” said Hand, “However, branding provides a much more
effective way for authorities to retrieve stolen livestock, especially if
they have been taken to an auction or feedlot.” 

TSCRA would like to thank the following for their roles in this lengthy
investigation and indictment: Harrison County Sheriff’s Office Detective
BJ Fletcher; Panola County Sheriff Kevin Lake and his Investigators and
Patrol Deputies; Panola County Constables Mitch Norton and Bryan Murff;
Texas DPS Intelligence and Counterterrorism Division; Louisiana Brand
Investigator Carnie Burcham; Harrison County District Attorney Coke
Solomon and his staff; and TSCRA Market Inspector Pat McGuigan.

Anyone with further information regarding the unaccounted five head of
stolen cattle in this case should contact TSCRA’s Operation Cow Thief[3]
hotline at 888-830-2333 or call Hand at 903-592-5252. A cash reward may be
paid to individuals who can provide useful information leading to the
arrest and indictment of suspect(s). Individuals reporting information may
choose to remain anonymous.