Alice Billings knew something spooked her animals.

She noticed the horses were on alert late at night on May 31, when she went out one more time to feed and check on them. It was dark, but she spotted a small bear and thought that’s what triggered their alarm.

But the next day, she didn’t see her llamas around. And by Friday morning, she became worried enough to check the back of the property.

On her way back to the barn, she found Sneaky Pete, one of her three llamas, motionless on a ditch ban...