Four Oklahoma State fraternity members charged in dead longhorn case prior to Big 12 title game vs. Texas

Police in Stillwater, Oklahoma, made a major move this week, arresting four men in connection with a dead longhorn steer that was left on the front lawn of a fraternity shortly before the Big 12 championship game, according to multiple reports. Oklahoma State was playing Texas — the longhorns — for the league crown.

But the prank-gone-too-far was actually carried out by a quartet of students from another fraternity who have since been arrested, according to police. Bennett Fady, Luke Ackerley, Andrew King and Brody Shelby were all charged with unlawful disposal of a carcass, a misdemeanor charge.

Per multiple reports, police affidavits indicate that FarmHouse, where the dead longhorn was left, had been in an escalating “prank war” with Alpha Gamma Rho.

Through the use of surveillance footage at both FarmHouse and Alpha Gamma Rho, plus serving a warrant at the latter fraternity, police were eventually able to identify and arrest the four subjects, and identify the truck that had been used. One affidavit noted the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity was not particularly cooperative to the police.

The four men are slated to be arraigned in county court next week.

The dead steer caused a furor on Dec. 1

That Friday morning, a dead longhorn, the species that also lends it name to the Texas nickname, was seen on the front lawn of the FarmHouse fraternity near the OSU campus.

Photos of the late longhorn on its side appeared on social media on Friday morning. And the episode has led to an official rebuke from the university.

“OSU is appalled at the disturbing display of animal cruelty that occurred overnight at an off-campus location near a fraternity house. The Stillwater PD is investigating the incident, and the university’s Office of Student Support and Conduct has initiated an investigation. Oklahoma State expects all students to adhere to university codes of conduct, and appropriate action will be taken based on the outcome of the investigation,” the statement said.

We do not condone/endorse this behavior, we are simply reporting the scenes outside of FH Fraternity this morning.

Someone took #texashateweek a little too far… pic.twitter.com/1AubelWiPv

— Barstool Pokes (@BarstoolOKST) December 1, 2023

Multiple videos shared on social media show the dead longhorn on the lawn of the fraternity house.

The Oklahoma State chapter of the FarmHouse fraternity issued a statement on Friday indicating the animal carcass was left there by others with a denigrating message to the FarmHouse fraternity branded or painted on the longhorn. The statement adds that they immediately reported it to authorities and are seeking more information.

“As a chapter founded on principles driven by our agricultural roots, we’re just as sickened and surprised by this incident as our peers on campus. It is disheartening to see the disregard for proper animal welfare and treatment displayed by this situation,” the statement said. “To our knowledge, no FarmHouse member was involved in this incident and we do not condone cruelty or defacing of livestock in any manner.”