Were Michael Jackson's giraffes murdered? Two of Jackson's four giraffes, who now reside at an animal sanctuary in Arizona, died mysteriously within seven weeks of each other. INSIDE EDITION has the details.
Two of Michael Jackson's famous Neverland giraffes are dead, and the police are investigating whether it was a case of murder.
"I just was standing in my office and I was stomping my feet and screaming, 'No! It can't be!' "says Freddie Hancock.
Hancock brought the giraffes to her animal sanctuary in a remote part of Arizona three years ago after Michael Jackson abandoned Neverland Ranch following his acquittal on child molestation charges.
"In your heart of hearts, you think somebody murdered these animals?" asks INSIDE EDITION's Matt Meagher.
"What I know is, I had two perfectly healthy giraffes, and now they're dead," Hancock says.
The giraffes died just seven weeks apart, and they were both young. Rambo was 18 and J.J. was 10. Giraffes normally live about 25 years.
She believes someone may have murdered the two giraffes using poison. One possible motive? Locals were upset about the presence of the giant animals.
Others say there is a less mysterious explanation for the deaths.
Michael Jackson's giraffes are African giraffes, which require warm weather to thrive in. But in the high desert of Page, Arizona, near the Colorado border, the temperature can dip down below 20 degrees at night.
Hancock says the giraffes are given the best of care. She showed INSIDE EDITION the powerful heater she uses to keep the barn at a comfortable temperature.
"What would you say to someone who thought that this facility was not what it should be?" Meagher asks her.
"They haven't been here, they haven't seen the giraffes, they don't know how the giraffes are being taken care of, they have no information. And so as far as I'm concerned the allegations that they're making are absolutely unfounded," says Hancock.
But the animal rights group PETA has sent a request to local authorities to "confiscate" the two surviving giraffes.
Hancock says if Michael Jackson were alive today, he would be heartbroken.
"I think that he would be as upset as we are over the death of those giraffes. I mean look them they are absolutely beautiful animals."
Preliminary autopsy results are in on one of the giraffes and they are inconclusive about the cause of death, though they show no signs of neglect or abuse. For now, the deaths remain a mystery.
Thanks to Reilly Kelly Productions for providing footage.
