For some reason, here, in the South, city folk who move to the country, hate Pine trees....They drop cones, needles and sap, plus, there's a stupid wive's tale, that they are natural lightning rods.
The five acres next door was purchased by such a person. They came in, removed all the Pine trees and then, used a massive rootrake to remove the stumps and large roots....Somehow, they believed that the remaining Oak trees would not be damaged by this action...They have a yardful of dead Oaks.
It's not the only time I've seen this foolishness.
Now, your thread title is over the top. You can't murder a tree, any more than you can murder a carrot...Nether can you murder an animal. That would make every one of us, who uses animals for meat a murderer.