A man who whose body was partially eaten by a Great Smoky Mountains National Park's bear last year actually died of a meth overdose, autopsy results revealed.
Police officials discovered a bear feeding on the body in the National Park in September. They then, along with wildlife professionals, decided to euthanize the bear to ensure the "public safety."
However, the Knox County Regional Forensic Center said Monday that the death's reason was an methamphetamine intoxication, which explains the syringes and the other drug paraphernalia that were found near his remains.
The victim, William Lee Hill Jr., 30, along with his friend Joshua David Morgan, 31, had entered the park to remove ginseng illegally, but went separately. Morgan died on Oct. 1 of an unknown reason.
