TRINIDAD -- A lifelong law enforcer who became a renowned expert in cattle mutilations died Feb. 12 in Pueblo.

Lou Girodo was 82.

Girodo was a four-term sheriff (1986 to 2002) of the expansive Las Animas County who also served as chief investigator for the Third Judicial District Attorney's Office (17 years). Before that, he was on the Trinidad police force for five years.

Girodo also was a law enforcement instructor at Trinidad State Junior College.

He is remembered as being fair and even-handed, a hard-working lawman dedicated to justice who never lost sight of the humor, or weirdness, in life.

Girodo's long association with the mysterious cattle mutilations began in 1975 with what he termed an "unnerving" incident in the Ludlow area. Over two-plus decades, it's estimated Girodo investigated as many as 50 of the bizarre mysteries in the Trinidad-Walsenburg region.

In addition to acting as a consultant to law enforcement colleagues throughout the Southwest, Girodo's expertise on cattle mutilations was exposed to the world through television shows, news articles, websites and books.

Perhaps inspired by an incident east of Trinidad -- in which a strange, bright light rose in the air and split in two; one part heading north and the other descending behind a mesa -- Girodo had a hunch who was behind the disturbing episodes.

"It's very possible that these mutilations are being done by creatures from outer space," he was quoted as saying all those years ago.

"Until the evidence convinces me otherwise. I've been totally consistent about that. I guess it's human nature. If we see something we don't understand or we fear, we put it on the back burner ... we don't want to deal with it.

"But this is something we're going to have to deal with."

To this day, cattle mutilations have continued in Las Animas and Huerfano counties.

The former sheriff's community service resume was lengthy: National Guard, American Legion, Knights of Columbus and Holy Trinity Catholic Parish, Eagles Lodge, Kiwanis and Rotary clubs, Trinidad Round Up Association, Las Animas County Democratic Party, E-911 Authority Board and the Colorado Welcome Center, where he volunteered as a travel consultant. As a testament to his hipness, Girodo was a disc jockey at radio station KCRT for five years and was the drummer and singer for Lou's Crew, a band with a 30-year performing history.

For years, he was the home football game announcer for Trinidad Catholic High School -- where he and his wife, Mary Lou, met in 1952 and from which his three children graduated.