Bear Attack Investigation in Arkansas
Arkansas Game and Fish has concluded that the DNA of a bear killed in Newton County does not match the one responsible for the fatal attack on Max Thomas, a 60-year-old man from Springfield, Missouri. The incident occurred on October 2, when Thomas was found dead at Sam's Throne Campground in the Ozark National Forest.
The Newton County Sheriff's Office (NCSO) responded to a welfare check requested by Thomas' family, who had not heard from him for several days. A deputy discovered evidence of a struggle at Thomas' campsite and later found his body approximately 60 feet away.
Following this discovery, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) initially believed a bear killed in Newton County was responsible for the attack. However, on October 23, the agency released new information stating that the DNA of the bear they had killed did not match the one involved in the attack. This conclusion was reached after analysis conducted by the Veterinary Forensic Science Lab at the University of Florida.
AGFC Director Doug Schoenrock emphasized that the agency remains committed to public safety and will continue its search for the bear responsible for the attack. He also urged visitors to the area to be "bear aware."
“While we are disappointed that the initial search did not neutralize the threat, our commitment to public safety remains paramount,” Schoenrock said. “We acted decisively based on the best evidence available at the time, and now that we have definitive forensic data, we are adjusting our strategy. Our teams will continue to work tirelessly to find the bear.”
Ongoing Efforts to Locate the Bear
5NEWS spoke with AGFC Communications Chief Keith Stephens on October 23, who confirmed that the search for the bear responsible for the attack is still ongoing. According to Stephens, cameras and traps have been deployed in the campground since a few days after the attack. So far, the only bear captured on camera was the one that was harvested by the agency.
“We've had cameras and traps out there in the campground since a couple days after the attack, the only bear that we've caught on the cameras was the one that we actually harvested,” Stephens said. “But we're going to leave them out there at least through the end of the month and see if we can't trap one or get a photo of one on those cameras.”
Stephens also noted that the Sam's Throne area, which was closed shortly after the attack, remains closed until at least the end of the month.
Rare Occurrence of Bear Attacks
This incident marks the second deadly bear attack in Arkansas this year, an event that Stephens described as difficult to comprehend given how rare such occurrences are.
“The odds of this happening are just astronomical, and then to have two of them, you know, within basically a month is, I don't even know what the odds would be on that, but it's hard to understand,” Stephens said.
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