Headless animals found near Courtney Campbell Parkway in Tampa

TAMPA — Some volunteers working on the International Coastal Cleanup got a nasty surprise Saturday morning.

While cleaning up the shoreline near a boat ramp on the eastern side of the Courtney Campbell Parkway, they found a beheaded goat and two chickens, said Barbara Walker of the Clearwater Audubon Society.

"They're all headless. It's extremely grotesque," Walker said.

The animals were found on the sand near the edge of Old Tampa Bay.

The discovery is under investigation, but is not known to be a criminal matter, Tampa police Lt. Brian Dugan said. There are no witnesses.

It's not uncommon for goats and chickens to be associated with ritualistic killings, Hillsborough County Animal Services spokeswoman Marti Ryan said.

The International Coastal Cleanup is an annual one-day effort to remove trash and debris from waterfronts nationwide.