LIPAN, Texas A final autopsy for a Texas man whose body was found last month in the woods determined that he died from neck injuries due to an animal attack, but wildlife experts and sheriff’s officials disagree on whether that animal was a mountain lion. The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled that 28-year-old […]
Medical examiner rules Hood County man died from animal attack
By FOX 4 Staff article
LIPAN, Texas - Officials now agree a North Texas man who was believed to have been killed by a mountain lion did indeed die because of a wild animal attack.
The body of 28-year-old Christopher Allen Whiteley was found in December in a wooded area in the Hood County city of Lipan.
Game wardens were called in to search for a mountain lion after his preliminary autopsy report ruled out homicide. The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office suggested he died after being attacked by a wild animal.
The sheriff s department said, however, there was still disagreement with The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department over what type of animal could have killed Whiteley.
In December, Texas Game Wardens, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department biologists, and subject matter experts conducted an inspection of the area where Whiteley was found and said there is not any evidence of a predatory attack by a mountain lion at the location where the victim was found. A Unites States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services trapper also evaluated the evidence and came to the same conclusion as our staff.
TPWD said fatal mountain lion attacks on people are extremely rare. In the past 100 years, there are fewer than 30 confirmed deaths due to mountain lion attacks nationwide.
Medical examiner says wild animal killed Lipan man; Hood County sheriff closes investigation
The Sheriff’s office said that they support the ruling since there were no signs of foul play in Whiteley’s death. Author: Eline de Bruijn Updated: 3:24 PM CST January 26, 2021
At the time, the office said Christopher Allen Whiteley, 28, died on Dec. 3 of a mountain lion attack, while the Texas Parks and Wildlife disputed that it was a mountain lion.
The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled the cause of death as an accident due to injuries of the neck due to animal attack, the sheriff s office said in a news release.
Tarrant County Public Health has reported 143 coronavirus-related deaths since Dec. 27
Published January 5, 2021 •
Updated on January 5, 2021 at 4:51 pm
Texas Sky Ranger
A refrigerated mobile morgue was deployed to Texas Health Harris Methodist in Fort Worth on Tuesday, hospital officials say, as Tarrant County averages just under 15 COVID-19-related deaths per day.
Tarrant County Public Health reported eight COVID-19 deaths Tuesday, after tallying at 13 each day since Dec. 27 with the exception of New Year s Day, when new coronavirus data was not reported. This shows how serious the situation is and how important it is for everyone in the community to do their part to slow the transmission of the virus by wearing masks, washing their hands, socially distancing and avoiding large crowds, Texas Health Resources said in a statement.