Henry Arnibal, the west Morgan Hill man accused of killing and eating a wild bobcat, will be back in court for pre-trial proceedings April 26, according to South Santa Clara County deputy supervising district attorney Steve Lowney.
Arnibal, 38, was arrested Nov. 8, 2011, when sheriff’s deputies, investigating a possible illegal marijuana garden on the property he was living on, found cockfighting instruments, a small amount of methamphetamine and a bobcat carcass, police said.
No marijuana was found on the property near Sleepy Valley Road and Armsby Lane in west Morgan Hill, authorities said.
He was charged with possession of methamphetamine, being under the influence of methamphetamine, possession of illegal cockfighting implements and the unlawful killing of a bobcat, authorities said.
Arnibal told investigators that he killed the bobcat because it was trying to eat his chickens, police said. Arnibal then ate the bobcat after killing it.
He shot the animal with a .22-caliber rifle, which was also found on the property, police said. About 40 roosters were also living on the property.
It is illegal to kill a bobcat in California without a license, according to authorities.
Deputies also reported finding cockfighting “gaffs,” or implements that can fit over a rooster’s leg for the purpose of illegally fighting the animals.
Arnibal was in court last week, at which time the April 26 hearing was set at South County Courthouse in Morgan Hill.
