In late 2018, the Connecticut Environmental Conservation Police uncovered a chilling case involving a group of young trophy hunters. Over just a few months, they had illegally taken at least 19 deer - often during nighttime hunts near residential neighborhoods. What started as a routine investigation quickly unraveled into something far more disturbing: secret planning sessions, a manifesto detailing their exploits, and a twisted tribute to the grandfather who taught them to night hunt. Join Investigator Patrick Kiely as he recounts the unbelievable story of the “Killing Krew Klan.”

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Here’s what we discuss:

·       An area known for night hunting

·       Spotting night hunters requires patience and timing

·       The state’s healthy deer population is tempting for poachers

·       A patrol officer spots suspicious signs

·       The initial arrest leads to more questions

·       Cell phones: everyone documents everything

·       “I wouldn’t even call them hunters; they were trophy poachers.”

·       It definitely wasn’t squirrels

·       The group is released but phones are seized

·       A stunning discovery

·       “It was an every-night occurrence.”

·       The group frequently hunted near houses

·       None of 19 deer were registered

·       The puzzle pieces: pictures, locations and times

·       The serial poaching had gone on for years, and had grown

·       Group relied on thinly stretched law enforcement

·       A specific 16-point buck and an unlikely story

·       US Fish and Wildlife joins the investigation

·       Cell phone metadata pinpoints locations and times

·       “Not a care in the world.”

·       A handwritten manifesto is found

·       The ‘zombie’ deer

·       Timing was perfect – and lucky

·       Even illegal roadkill wasn’t off limits to the ‘Klan’

·       $100 does for sale, and banquet hall venison

·       Multiple deer were taken nightly

·       Managing investigations and public perception

·       Hunters had noticed a decline

·       “It was a joke to them.”

·       Many state charges were misdemeanors

·       Local hunters weigh in

·       Technology has changed investigation strategies

·       Limitation statutes prevented even more charges

·       Getting buy-in from other agencies

·       Balancing criminal and wildlife investigations can be a challenge

·       The cell phones were crucial

·       Rising bear population has led to conflicts

·       Educating the public

·       Staffing numbers are on the rise

·       “It was a learning experience for all of us.”

Credits

Hosts: Wayne Saunders and John Nores

Producer: Jay Ammann

Warden’s Watch logo & Design: Ashley Hannett

Research / Content Coordinator: Stacey DesRoches

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