The Latest: 13th mutilated cat found near Olympia

OLYMPIA, Wash. – The Latest on mutilated cats in Washington state (all times local):

4:55 p.m.

On the day that a newly formed task force met to investigate a string of cat mutilations, police have found a 13th victim.

Thurston County Sheriff’s Detective Ben Elkins said the cat was found on private property Thursday afternoon by a homeowner who was not the owner of the cat. Elkins said officials received the call in a middle of a multi-agency meeting to discuss the string of cat deaths. Elkins said they have not yet identified the cat’s owners.

A reward has been offered for information that leads to an arrest in the case.

The amount has grown to $36,000 recently as additional organizations including PETA and the Humane Society of the United States have become involved. Investigators believe the cases are connected because most of the cats’ bodies have been left in public after the animals’ spines have been removed or the animal has otherwise been mutilated. Elkins said he couldn’t yet provide specifics on the most recent death.

The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office has assigned a detective from its major crimes division to the case, and Elkins said representatives from several agencies, including Olympia Police and Thurston County Animal Services were meeting to discuss a plan when they received a call about the latest death.

7 a.m.

Another cat has been found mutilated south of Tacoma in Thurston County.

Thurston County Animal Services Officer Erika Johnson says the cat’s body was found Tuesday near the Chehalis Western Trail.

News outlets report the Tuesday killing marks the 12th cat found mutilated since October.

Investigators believe the cases are connected because most of the cats’ bodies have been left in public after the animals’ spines have been removed.

A reward has been offered for information that leads to an arrest in the case.

The amount has grown to $30,000 recently as additional organizations including PETA and the Humane Society of the United States have become involved.

The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office has assigned a detective from its major crimes division to the case.