“Why did the police arrest the turkey?”/“They suspected it of fowl play.”

A Thanksgiving turkey riddle is:
 
Q: Why did the police arrest the turkey?
A: They suspected it of fowl play.
 
The riddle has been cited in print since at least 2000.
 
   
Google Groups: news.admin.net-abuse.sightings
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) <

11/1/00
(...)
Why did the police arrest the turkey?
They suspected it of fowl play!
 
Google Groups: alt.humor.puns
Puns of the Weak 11/29/02
Stan Kegel
11/29/02
(...)
Why did the police arrest the turkey?
They suspected it of fowl play (Jokes 4U)
 
20 November 2005, Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN), “Flop of a season finale drops Gophers into ho-hum history” by Jim Souhan, pg. 1C:
And Iowa has a high threshold for boredom. On the radio Friday night, I heard Christmas music and cookie recipes and saw a flashing billboard offering this cutting-edge joke: “Why did the police arrest the turkey? For fowl behavior.”
 
Google Books
Laugh Lines for Educators
Edited by Diane Hodges
Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press
2006
Pg. 95:
Q. Why did the police arrest the turkey?
A. They suspecled fowl play.
       
Twitter
John Piercy
‏@johncpiercy
Why did the police arrest the turkey?
They suspected it of fowl play
9:45 AM - 27 Nov 2008
 
Google Books
The Happy Classroom:
From Ha-Ha to A-Ha
By Janet Aaker Smith
Marion, IL: Pieces of Learning
2011
Pg. ?:
Why did the police arrest the turkey?
They suspected it of fowl play.
 
Google Books
101 Amazing Animal Jokes
By Jack Goldstein
Andrews UK Limited
2013
Pg. ?:
Why did the police arrest the turkey?
They suspected it of fowl play!
 
Google Books
Thanksgiving Turkey Jokes For Kids
By Peter Crumpton
PeteyRF Creative
2015
Pg. ?:
Why did the police arrest the turkey?
They suspected it of fowl play.