Autopsy Results Show Texas Man Died From Animal Attack

Texas officials are still disagreeing over cause of death after an autopsy confirmed that a Texas man, who sheriff's officials believed was killed by a mountain lion or other wild animal, died from an animal attack.

In December I wrote about the disagreement that occurred between state officials when the body of Christopher Allen Whiteley, 28, was discovered in a wooded area near Lipan. The Hood County Sheriff's Office said it suspected he was fatally attacked by a mountain lion or other wild animal. But the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) disagreed, saying in a written statement that its game wardens, wildlife biologists, and other experts found no evidence of a mountain lion or other wild animal attack.

According to KLTV.com, the Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office ruled Whiteley's cause of death last month was from neck injuries due to an animal attack. The manner of death was ruled an accident.

The Hood County Sheriff's Office said Tuesday that there's still a disagreement with the TPWD on whether a mountain lion killed Whiteley.

According to the Waco Tribune-Herald, the TPWD said none of the evidence it has reviewed suggests the attack was by a mountain lion or other wild animal like a coyote. However, wildlife officials couldn't rule out that an animal killed Whiteley.

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