A bear ate a 65-year-old man after he died of a heart attack outside of his trailer in rural Northern California. Partially eaten remains were found in a cave where the animal dragged the body after finding the man dead.
According to The Los Angeles Times, Marion Lee Williams died not far from his property, reported Humboldt County Deputy Coroner Roy Horton. A bear then came upon his body, dragged it to a nearby cave, and ate it.
Parts of Williams' body were later found by visiting friends. He was last seen on Oct. 8. His friends reported him missing Saturday before searching his property and finding his remains.
"The bear did eat most of this guy," said Horton. "He was about 85 percent consumed . . . The bear saw the opportunity for a food source and took advantage of it."
Fingerprints, dentures, and pieces of clothing helped identify the body, which the bear ate over the course of several days. Friends reported that smell helped them find the remains.
California Department of Fish and Wildlife spokesman Andrew Hughan said the department had considered euthanizing the bear now that it has gotten a taste of human flesh, but it was long gone when Williams' remains were found.
"The bear does not pose a public threat," he said. "It was just doing what bears do."
Reuters reported that Williams was roughly 100 meters from his "off the grid" trailer in Briceland, six miles west of Redway in Humboldt County.