Roxanne French is angry and hurt that three of her family’s horses and a cow have been shot to death in the last couple of months in North Molokai.

"It’s just mean," French said. "I don’t know why they did it. If they were angry with us, they should have talked to us. Shooting them is not the answer."

French and her husband, Rick, said a filly named Mandy was shot in January.

Then on Feb. 8 they discovered their palomino mare, Misty, and stud palomino, Sparky, along with a cow were shot in pastures near Meyer’s Lake near the overlook to Kalaupapa.

A sorrel mare, Lily Mae, that had a colt last year was also shot last week and is barely surviving.

"We’re not sure she’s going to make it. Her belly is swollen and touching the ground," French said.

She said they’ve operated a horse and cow ranch for more than 20 years, and this kind of livestock kill- ing has never happened before.

French said they have seen occasional poaching over the years.

"We just figure maybe they were poaching and shot the wrong thing … but this wasn’t poaching," she said.

Maui County police who are investigating the killings estimated that the animals were worth in excess of $67,000.

French, whose family leases the land from a private landowner, said she’s hoping someone will come forward with information on who might be responsible.

Anyone with information is asked to call Molokai police at 553-5355 or Crime-Stoppers, 888-242-6966.