Myrtle Beach police say they believe the two decapitated animals they found on Wednesday may have been part of a cult ritual.
Around 10:20 p.m., police responded to a report of "suspicious" nature and found the bags near the intersection of 17 Avenue South and Yaupon Drive.
Inside one of the bags was a goat head and inside the other was a decapitated rooster, police say. There was also a bloody knife inside one of the bags.
"It could be anything," said Captain David Knipes, "but the major feeling right now is leaning towards it's more of a cult thing out of the Caribbean or southern Florida area where members of the Hispanic decent do kill or decapitate animals for different cultural reasons."
A city worker disposed of the bags.
Witnesses told police they saw a man and a woman drop the bags.
"I don't know if it's bizarre or just it's just something that's not typically seen," said Knipes. "Because maybe in most cases the remains are disposed of in landfills or different means where they are just not left on the side of the road."
While finding decapitated animals is odd, residents should not be fearful, said Knipes.
"There is nothing to indicate that anybody should be afraid of or alarmed about. This is something that is totally new to this area, but I believe if you go down toward southern Florida, Miami or whatnot, it's more prevalent. It's nothing to relate it to any major incidents or major crime wave."
