Terry, Don. On Killing Horses For Money: A Craftsman's Dirty Secrets. New York Times. Vol. CXLII, No. 49,445. September 5, 1993.

Abstract: This article tells the story of a man who confessed to killing 15 horses so the owners could collect insurance money. Tommy Burns was arrested for fraud and when his business associates refused to post bail for him, he provided authorities with a full-fledged confession, implicating most of his associates.

In his confession, Tommy Burns explained the techniques he used to kill the horses and make it appear as if they died of natural causes or by accident. In 1991, Burns took a crowbar to a horse's right leg. The owner of the horse, Donna Brown claimed the horse fell in the rain and broke its leg. The horse was insured for $25,000 and Burns received $5,000 for his service. Burns often employed the method of electrocution to kill the horses because signs of death resembled colic. The FBI stepped in when Burns offered information regarding many prominent citizens. Burns has been offered a deal for less jail time in exchange for his testimony.