A heart attack reportedly killed Marion Williams in a remote area near Redway, California. It’s what happened next that is beyond disturbing. Officials believe the 65-year-old was then eaten–or at least mostly eaten–by a bear.
CBS reports that Williams died of a heart attack in front of his trailer in the remote region. His remains were discovered about five days after friends reported him missing.
Investigators reportedly used Williams’ fingerprints, along with his dentures and pieces of clothing to identify him.
Humboltdt County Deputy Coroner Roy Horton believes the bear simply found Williams’ body after he died of a heart attack, and dragged it into its den.
Black bear in California eats most of man's body, but authorities say that's not what killed him: http://t.co/zDLggKYzra
— The Associated Press (@AP) October 18, 2014
“It looks like he collapsed and died,” Horton said. “The bear comes along and sees a potential food source.”
California Department of Fish and Wildlife spokesman Andrew Hughan says there are no records in the state of California of bears killing human beings. He says officials did their best to track down and trap the bear that ate Marion Williams, but realizes it’s unlikely that will ever happen.
“We’re not going to find the bear,” Hughan said. “The bear was behaving naturally.”
“The bear does not pose a public threat,” Hughan added. “It was just doing what bears do.”
Marion Williams lived off the grid in a trailer in the community of Briceland, located about six miles from Redway. He was last seen on October 8th, however his friends didn’t report him missing to authorities until last week.
This is indeed a bizarre case, but authorities are insisting to those living in that region that they aren’t in danger of being attacked by a bear. Since Mr. Williams was already deceased from a heart attack, the bear simply did what instinct mandates.