A construction worker and two Marines have been accused of the wild horse killings in Nevada December, 27, 1998, for sport. The shootings, which left 34 horses dead and several wounded, have sparked immense interest by the public and a reward fund to find the perpetrators grew to $35,000.

Anthony Merlino, 20, was arrested Tuesday January, 12, for the slaughter of the horses. Merlino, a construction worker, wasn’t alone in the shootings. Two of his high school buddies, Lance Cpl. Scott William Brendle, 21, and lance Cpl. Darien Thomas Brock, 20, both Marines on leave from their bases in California. Brock is a rifleman at Camp Pendleton and Brendle is a computer technician based at Twentynine Palms.

Merlino was jailed on a $60,000 bail after being charged with grand larceny and maiming, poisoning, or killing another person’s animal. Both Brock and Brendle were taken into custody at jails near their bases. According to reports, Brock will fight extradition to Nevada