The West Virginia Natural Resources Police are crediting Facebook users for helping solve an albino deer killing case in Boone County.
On Sept. 27, Natural Resources Police Officer Dakoda Chattin got a call from Boone County 911 advising that an albino deer had been shot and killed in someone's yard along Route 17. After interviewing witnesses, the only evidence available was that there were multiple suspects involved and they drove a smaller-model gray truck.
The incident was posted on the Natural Resources Police Facebook page at www.facebook.com/DNRpolice with a request for help from the public.
DNR officials said the post was seen by nearly half a million people and was shared by more than 7,000. Information officers received after the incident spread helped them learn of suspects who may have committed the crime.
After investigating and researching possible suspects identified by the public, Chattin made contact with three people who admitted that they had killed the deer.
Their charges include hunting without a license, hunting during closed season, carrying a loaded firearm in a motor vehicle, shooting from a motor vehicle, shooting from a public road, and illegal firearm for deer hunting.
"We continue to be impressed with how we've been able to solve crimes with the public's help," Natural Resources Police Col. Jerry Jenkins said. "The response has been beyond what we anticipated when we began using Facebook earlier this year. It's become a valuable tool for us to gather information about crimes and suspects."