Killer bear: Woman's death inside her home marks California's first fatal black bear attack

[Zorro]

A 71-year-old woman who was found dead inside her Sierra County home last November had been mauled by a black bear, the first such fatal attack in California history.

Patrice Miller’s body was discovered inside her Downieville home on Nov. 8, 2023, by Sierra County Sheriff’s Office deputies who had been summoned to conduct a welfare check. Deputies discovered a grisly scene with evidence that a bear had been inside, likely for several days, feeding on the woman’s remains, authorities said.

Initially, investigators thought she had died prior to the bear’s entry. However, an autopsy report completed last month revealed that Miller was killed when the animal swiped or bit her neck, Sierra County Sheriff Mike Fisher told KCRA-TV.

“Black bears are not dangerous animals, but if they associate our homes or cabins or campgrounds as an easy source of food they lose their natural fear of people and their actions get bolder and bolder,” said Peter Tira, a spokesperson for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. “This is the most extreme example we’ve seen in state history.”

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-06-06/first-deadly-black-bear-attack-in-california