2 arrested in severing of exotic bird's head at Vegas habitat

Two men who told authorities they were law students at UC Berkeley apparently missed the class on felony law.

Eric Cuellar and Justin Teixeira, both 24, were arrested last week after allegedly severing the head of a large exotic bird at the Flamingo Hotel’s Wildlife Habitat.

“Arriving officers learned that two males were witnessed throwing the dead bird, discussing the killing of the bird and laughing about it,” according to a news release from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.

Authorities said surveillance video shows Cuellar and Teixeira chasing the 14-year-old Helmeted Guinea Fowl into the trees Friday, and that a witness saw them emerging with the guinea fowl’s body and severed head.

Cuellar and Teixeira did not speak with officers but did claim to be law students at Berkeley and were found with corresponding student identification cards on them, authorities said.

“They each face felony charges of conspiracy and willful malicious torture/killing of wildlife,” according to the release.

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— Ari Bloomekatz

Photo: Eric Cuellar, left, and Justin Teixeira. Credit: Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Dept. /  KTLA-TV