Man found dead in Hood County was killed in animal attack, medical examiner says
A man killed in Hood County on Dec. 3 died from an animal attack, according to a final ruling released this week by the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Christopher Allen Whiteley, 28, died from “injuries of neck, due to animal attack,” according to the ruling. His death was ruled an accident.
Whiteley was last seen in early December 2020 in the 1500 block of Howell Road in Lipan. Deputies checked a nearby wooded area, the sheriff’s office said, and found Whiteley dead.
Hood County officials said in a news release that they believed a mountain lion had attacked Whiteley.
But the news release also pointed out that Hood County authorities are still in disagreement with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department on whether Whiteley was killed by a mountain lion or not.
Hood County officials said Tuesday that the case was closed and the medical examiner’s office ruled he was killed by an unspecified animal.
In the release, officials with the Hood County Sheriff’s Office said there were no signs of foul play in the incident.
In December, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department said it found no evidence of a mountain lion attack in that area.
The TPWD said Texas Game Wardens, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department biologists, and a United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services trapper investigated the scene and evidence and came to the same conclusion as the TPWD staff. TPWD has no record of a mountain lion attack in Texas or confirmed records of a mountain lion living in Hood County.
This story was originally published January 26, 2021 at 2:18 PM.
