Farmer Eaten by Hogs? 'Doggone Weird' Case Under Investigation
A farmer in Oregon is believed to have been eaten by the very hogs that he cared for in his later years. Authorities are investigating the incident, which has been described as "doggone weird" by District Attorney Paul Frasier.
"For all we know, it was a horrific accident, but it's so doggone weird that we have to look at all possibilities," Fraiser told The Register-Guard.
Authorities are investigating as to whether farmer Terry Vance Garner, 69, was eaten by the very hogs that he raised at his farm. These are not typical, small-breed hogs but are instead larger animals that can weigh up to 700 pounds or more. When family members went out to search for Garner, who had left to feed the hogs, they made several chilling discoveries in the pen.
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One found Garner's dentures, followed by "pieces of Garner's body scattered throughout the enclosure," The Register-Guard reported. It's possible that Garner suffered a heart attack or another type of medical emergency and fell into the pen, where the hogs began eating his body.
Frasier also the publication that due to the case's unusual situation, foul play has not been ruled out. So far authorities have released no official statement, but the investigation is ongoing.
Garner's family is trying to make sense of the death, especially given how much he cared for the animals.
"Those animals were his life," his older brother Michael said. "He had all kinds of birds and turkeys that ran all over the place. Everybody knew him."
Hogs used for breeding can weigh as much as 800 to 1,000 pounds and "have strong snouts used to root about in the earth and can upturn weak fencing," according to eHow. These hogs are more aggressive than their smaller counterparts and will eat nearly anything, including meat.
