71-year-old woman found mysteriously dead at home – first fatal black bear attack in California

A 71-year-old California woman who was mysteriously found dead at home was mauled to death by a black bear – the first fatal attack of its kind ever.

Patrice Miller was found dead last November in her home in Downieville, a small town in the Sierra Nevada mountains two hours northeast of the state capital, Sacramento.

Sierra County Sheriff’s officials were checking the welfare of a resident who had not been seen in several days when they found a broken door and bear scat on the porch.

Officers forced entry into the home and discovered her body inside. They found that the home had been ransacked and there were signs that led them to believe a bear had entered the property.

“It appeared the bear had probably been there for several days, feeding on the remains,” Sheriff Mike Fisher told KCRA.

It was initially believed that Miller had died before the bear arrived and that the bear may have been attracted by the smell.

Meanwhile, there were numerous reports from concerned citizens about a bear that kept returning to the house. According to Fisher, a state permit was issued to deprecate and a bear on the property was trapped and euthanized.

An autopsy revealed that Miller had died “from a bear attack or a cut and bite to the neck area.”

The state Department of Fish and Wildlife confirmed that this was the first fatal black bear attack on a human in the state.

“This is a big deal,” said Steve Gonzalez, a spokesman for the agency. “This kind of thing doesn’t happen in California. Usually a bear that isn’t used to human behavior will get out of your way.”

Investigators learned from Miller’s daughter that her mother had a history of having problems with bears trying to enter her home and that she had been attacked by a bear before.

Another bear then became a problem in Downieville and was euthanized after attempting to break into a school gym, leading to a significant decrease in bear activity, the sheriff said.

DNA tests confirmed that the first bear euthanized was responsible for Miller’s death.

Bears breaking into homes or garbage cans in search of food have become a problem across California, from Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada down to the suburbs in the Los Angeles foothills, where some bears have been known to raid refrigerators or bathe in backyard pools and hot tubs.

After Miller’s body was found, a local Downieville Crittercam recorded clear evidence of bears in the area that same week.

A nighttime video titled “Double Trouble” showed two bears wandering through a yard the day before Miller’s body was discovered at 3 a.m. on November 8.

A video from November 11 at 4:30 a.m. shows another bear strolling up from the river into the yard, looking for food.

The caption reads: “Fat bear comes up from the river, digs around in the yard for a while, then takes a different route back to the river. Go to sleep, fat guy.”

According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, black bears are the only wild bears in the state.

Sierra County Sheriff’s officials urged residents to be extra cautious.

They said: “Fish and Wildlife officials are working with the Sheriff’s Office to ensure public safety and understand the bear’s behavior.”

“Residents in the Downieville area are advised to exercise caution and take necessary precautions to avoid possible encounters with all wildlife.”

“It is strongly recommended to close ground-level doors and windows at night, lock vehicles and remove all outside food sources, including garbage.”

They added: “The Sierra County Sheriff’s Office would like to extend its deepest condolences to the family and friends of Patrice Miller during this difficult time.”

“The loss of a community member is always a tragedy and our thoughts are with those affected by this unfortunate event.”