Authorities investigate the killing of Salma's dog

Washington state authorities are investigating after actress Salma Hayek's dog was found shot to death on her ranch about 70 miles south of Seattle.

A Thurston County Sheriff's spokesman says a deputy received a report on Feb. 19, has talked to the actress and is investigating.

Deputy Lt. Cliff Ziesemer says a caretaker was riding a horse around Hayek's property with two dogs following. He says the dogs barked and took off running at the end of the road but eventually came back, as was typical.

Later, when the caretaker returned home she realized one dog was missing. She found the dog dead and reported it to authorities.

Ziesemer says a veterinarian determined a pellet from a pellet gun had nicked an artery and that the dog "slowly bled to death internally."

Hayek posted on Instagram Friday that she was mourning the death of her 9-year-old dog named Mozart and that she hoped authorities would help her find justice.