A horse was found dead in Texas on Thursday, shot in the head and with its legs tied up.

The dead horse was found by a citizen in Hempstead, about 50 miles northwest of Houston, at around 8:30 a.m. Thursday.

Signs at the scene suggested the horse had been dragged after it was shot and bound. Pictures posted on Facebook by the Waller County Sheriff’s Office also show the horse’s hind legs connected to an unmoored road sign by a rope.

The sheriff’s office’s Livestock Division is investigating the death as a crime.

• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.