Schmitt/Thompson Albuquerque Mutilation Conference (Apr 1979).
documentedgovernment_studyAnimal Mutilation
The 20 April 1979 livestock-mutilation conference convened in Albuquerque by NM Sen. Harrison Schmitt and US Attorney R.E. Thompson (~180 attendees) that catalyzed both the FBI's involvement and the LEAA-funded Rommel investigation.
[DOCUMENTED] Convened by Sen. Harrison Schmitt (Apollo 17 astronaut, Harvard PhD geologist) and US Attorney R.E. Thompson; ~180 attendees including multi-state law-enforcement investigators, FBI representatives, ranchers and press. Near its close the Santa Fe District Attorney announced an application for a Law Enforcement Assistance Administration (LEAA) grant to fund a special mutilation investigative unit. [DOCUMENTED] The grant was subsequently awarded, establishing 'Operation Animal Mutilation' under the NM First Judicial District Attorney's office (DA Eloy Martinez), who hired retired FBI agent Kenneth Rommel. The conference is the documented hinge between grassroots panic and formal federal/state investigation.