Heartbreaking new details have surfaced in the deaths of an 89-year-old grandfather and his dog in a suspected bear attack. It marks the first recorded bear attack in Florida.
89-year-old Robert Markel had lived by himself at a home in Jerome with his dog. Sadly, both were found dead. According to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokesperson George Reynaud, a bear killed both of them. His grandchildren sadly found their grandfather deceased.
Markel's grandson made a call to 911, according to WBBH.
"I'm putting my clothes on, getting my gun, and going to look for a bear," the grandson said. "The bear just got the dog, the dog's dead. We went in to check on him in the camper, he's gone, the camper's tore all apart."
Sadly, Markel's grandson revealed that the grandfather likely wasn't able to defend himself against the bear.
He said, "He's 89, he can't run. He can't even walk without falling over." They found his and his dog's bodies on the property.
Black Bear Kills Grandfather
Markel and his dog were found in separate locations, approximately 200 yards apart. Meanwhile, Reynaud weighed in on the suspected bear attack. He was able to confirm it was indeed a bear attack.
"We are investigating this as a suspected fatal wildlife attack involving a bear," Reynaud said. "Preliminary information indicates the incident resulted in the death of a man and a dog. We do know it was a bear attack. We don't know if it was the same bear or multiple bears. I do want to make clear that these two incidents seem to have occurred some time apart."
Meanwhile, he said the bear may still be in the area.
"The bear involved may still be in the area," Reynaud warned. "As our officers continue to secure the perimeter, out of an abundance of caution, we urge residents and visitors to remain vigilant and avoid the area. Public safety is paramount for us, so we will have officers staged in that area and in that perimeter to ensure public safety at this time. We would like to extend our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Markel."
He also added, "At this time, we have deployed four live bear traps around the vicinity of where the incident occurred in an attempt to capture this bear."
