Man Found Dead In House Full Of Snakes (Photos)
Police looking for a missing man were
shocked to find him dead in his home —
surrounded by over forty giant snakes.
Many of the reptiles, including a 30ft anaconda
and four 35ft pythons, were slithering free around
the decomposing body when police entered snake
fan Heiko Rieder's apartment in Straubing,
Germany.
A fire service spokesman said: "At least one was as
thick as a human thigh."
Worried colleagues alerted police after the 40-
year-old caretaker failed to turn up to work for a
week.
It is thought he died from a heart attack while
feeding his pets.
Experts believe he was only saved from being eaten
as he was too WIDE to be swallowed whole.
Reptile centre boss Markus Baur, now caring for
the snakes, said: "They probably didn't eat him for
two reasons. One, they prefer their prey alive to
start with.
"And two, they like to eat their prey whole and the
average European adult is just too long and wide
for that."
In total, 46 snakes, some in tanks, were recovered
from the property.
A police spokesman said: "His body decomposed
rapidly because of the heat coming from the
snakes' terrariums. There don't appear to be any
suspicious circumstances."
shocked to find him dead in his home —
surrounded by over forty giant snakes.
Many of the reptiles, including a 30ft anaconda
and four 35ft pythons, were slithering free around
the decomposing body when police entered snake
fan Heiko Rieder's apartment in Straubing,
Germany.
A fire service spokesman said: "At least one was as
thick as a human thigh."
Worried colleagues alerted police after the 40-
year-old caretaker failed to turn up to work for a
week.
It is thought he died from a heart attack while
feeding his pets.
Experts believe he was only saved from being eaten
as he was too WIDE to be swallowed whole.
Reptile centre boss Markus Baur, now caring for
the snakes, said: "They probably didn't eat him for
two reasons. One, they prefer their prey alive to
start with.
"And two, they like to eat their prey whole and the
average European adult is just too long and wide
for that."
In total, 46 snakes, some in tanks, were recovered
from the property.
A police spokesman said: "His body decomposed
rapidly because of the heat coming from the
snakes' terrariums. There don't appear to be any
suspicious circumstances."
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