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73 °F Forecast | Road Cams Tuesday, August 3, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Prime Times Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Rogue Valley's Finest EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend May 4, 2004 Speckles, left, is shown with companion Jekyll. Mail Tribune / Roy Musitelli Killing thickens Speckles plot Hen is found with its neck wrung Sunday; contractor offers $500 for help finding culprit By MEG LANDERS Mail Tribune MURPHY — A hen that gained celebrity this year when it was taken from its grocery store home was found on the store’s doorstep with its neck wrung Sunday, and a contractor has offered a $500 reward to find who did it. "We just don’t need this kind of act here in Murphy," said Bob Quinn, owner of Quinn’s Well Drilling & Pump Service, who hopes the reward will help reveal the identity of the perpetrator. Speckles the chicken lived outside Ray’s Food Place, 7200 Williams Highway in Murphy, along with a companion, Jekyll the rooster. Speckles was the most recent of a series of hens to arrive mysteriously at the store over the past few years, according to store staff. Employees took care of the pair. In March, Williams resident Nick Gombos stopped by the market after hours for a newspaper and noticed a chicken huddled in the newspaper rack. He said he assumed she was abandoned, so he took her home. Gombos and his wife, Kathy Dean, kept Speckles until sheriff’s deputies showed up at their home March 24 and retrieved the bird. Gombos was charged with third-degree theft and interfering with an officer after he allegedly balked at giving the bird to the deputies. Advertisement Store life appeared to return to normal for Speckles and Jekyll. But between the time of the last employee leaving Saturday night and an employee showing up for work early Sunday, someone wrung Speckles’ neck and left her in front of the door. "It was pure malice," said store manager Nate McCully. "I don’t know, there’s some sick people." McCully said he doesn’t know if he wants another companion for Jekyll. "At this point I’m a little worried that it may happen again." Josephine County Sheriff Dave Daniel said the fact that the chicken was left for store staff to find is disturbing. "It’s being malicious against Ray’s," he said. "I don’t know of anything we can do unless someone saw something." Quinn said he’d like to see the person caught and face consequences for the act. "It’s not about a chicken," he said. "It’s about we don’t need this kind of crime." On Monday Gombos appeared in court and his attorney requested that his hearing be changed to May 24. Gombos will either plead guilty or will request a trial, according to the Josephine County District Attorney’s Office. To report information on the crime, contact the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office at 541-474-5123. Reach reporter Meg Landers at 776-4481 or e-mail [email protected] . Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S RESOURCES Oregon Road Conditions & Cams SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Food for Thought Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Prime Times