Severely malnourished horse dies in Lenoir, man arrested has had 170 animals seized since April

LENOIR, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — A repeat offender has been charged with animal cruelty after a malnourished horse was found tied to a tree, according to Caldwell County Animal Care Enforcement.

Officers began investigating after receiving a tip that the suspect, Holden Miller, had a horse tied to a tree behind his house. When they arrived and made contact with the tenant, they found the horse tied to a tree about 70 yards behind the residence in a wooded area.

The horse was severely malnourished and, despite receiving medical care, died a few days later. Officers seized other animals from the property that same day, officials said. The condition of those animals is unknown.

According to officials, this is not the first time Miller has been arrested for animal cruelty. In April 2025, he was charged with three counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty and one count in June. Since April, officers have seized nearly 170 animals from Miller.

“Our domestic and livestock animals are like family, and we should treat them as such by providing them a healthy environment,” said Caldwell County Animal Care Enforcement Director Richard Gilliland.

Miller reportedly obtained the animals from social media and other websites. In the most recent case, he was charged with felony animal cruelty and is being held in the Caldwell County Detention Center without bond.