Ex-Arkansas students charged with defacing MSU bulldog statue

Published 9:48 am Thursday, January 24, 2019

Two former University of Arkansas students are charged with defacing a bulldog statue at Mississippi State University, police say.

MSU police Chief Vance Rice told news outlets on Wednesday that 24-year-old Mathes Tillinghast and 25-year-old Timothy Yeldell have been charged with felony malicious mischief.

Police tweeted a photo of the Bully statue painted red with Arkansas Razorbacks chant “Woo Pig” also written on it.

Subscribe to our free email newsletter

Get the latest news sent to your inbox

Police say the bronze mascot on MSU’s campus in Starkville was painted in September. They say Tillinghast was arrested in Arkansas last month, and that Yeldell turned himself in at the Oktibbeha County jail in Mississippi this month.

Both men were free on bond ahead of court dates in Oktibbeha County. It is unclear if they have lawyers who could comment.