A Texas hunter has turned the scenic Hill Country into a disturbing scene, allegedly killing at least 13 white-tailed bucks and leaving their headless bodies on the lawns of local residents.
Darrell Maguire, 55, of New Braunfels, faces accusations of using a crossbow to shoot deer from his vehicle. He then reportedly decapitated the animals, leaving the remains for shocked residents to discover over a period spanning from the fall of 2024 to the summer of 2025, according to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department’s announcement on Thursday.
In September 2025, game wardens apprehended Maguire after eight headless white-tailed buck carcasses were found in June in residential areas of Cornal and Hays counties, prompting an official investigation.
As part of the inquiry, authorities retrieved used crossbow bolts from various front yards and porches, the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department reported.
Further investigation revealed evidence in Maguire’s home connecting him to other poaching activities. It was discovered that he exceeded the annual bag limit for deer hunting in the 2024 season, taking five bucks beyond the legal limit in Bexar County.
Additionally, officials found 5.86 grams of methamphetamine during the search of his residence, as stated by the agency.
Maguire is facing 74 criminal charges, including felony hunting without landowner consent, hunting white-tailed deer at night, hunting from a vehicle on a public roadway and failing to retrieve and keep the deer in an edible condition as well as felony methamphetamine possession and marijuana possession.
The case remains pending in court.
