DALLAS (AP) - The reward has grown ninefold for the arrest and conviction of those guilty of the slaughter of a rare white buffalo just shy of its first birthday.

The $5,000 reward has grown to $45,000 on the heads of those who killed the white calf named Lightning Medicine Cloud.

Arby Little Soldier owns the Lakota Ranch near the North Texas town of Greenville. He says he found the calf dead and skinned at his ranch May 1, and its mother was found dead and skinned the next day.

He says contributions of $5 to $15,000 have built the reward fund.

The white buffalo calf is revered by Lakota Sioux, whose tribal lore said the goddess of peace once appeared in the form of a white buffalo calf.

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