A PRIVATE investigator has been hired to track down the killers of a Tasmanian devil at a zoo in the US state of New Mexico.
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One of four devils in the ABQ BioPark in Albuquerque, Jasper was found dead in his enclosure at 11am last Wednesday.
Two large pieces of asphalt were found in the enclosure and after an autopsy it was confirmed that the devil died from blunt force trauma to the head.
Tissue samples have been sent to a lab for testing, however, it could be weeks before the results are returned.
Albuquerque Police Department information officer Tanner Tixier said there were no suspects.
"There is a security camera in the vicinity but that doesn't show directly the enclosure, it only shows the walkways leading to and from it," Mr Tixier said.
"There are some people shown walking away at that general time period but we haven't identified them yet.
"You can't pull fingerprints from asphalt and so we're going to have to rely on possible identification from the video or tips from someone that might have been involved."
A $5000 reward has been offered to anyone with information that leads to finding the attackers.
ABQ BioPark director Rick Janser said the community was outraged by the attack.
"A year ago when we brought them in most people in Albuquerque thought they were just a cartoon," Mr Janser said.
"We've had people calling in from around the country offering their assistance.
"To have a devil die in this manner less than a year after they've come, it just makes me sick."
ABQ BioPark has been working with Australia for the past 10 years to get the devils on loan.
They arrived in the US from the Healesville Sanctuary in Victoria in December last year.