TORONTO SUN (Ontario) 06 September 06 Pet python turns lethal
Lanesville, Ind. -- A four-metre pet python crushed its owner to death, authorities said yesterday after finding the snake loose in a southern Indiana shed with the man's body.
Patrick Von Allmen, 23, was found Monday evening in the shed near Lanesville, 25 km west of Louisville, Ky.
A medical examiner determined the death was consistent with asphyxiation caused by compression of the neck and chest, conservation officer Mark Farmer said.
Von Allmen had told family members he was going to treat the snake for a medical condition, Farmer said. He was alone in the shed with the python for about three hours before his body was found.
Relatives said Von Allmen had 10 to 12 years of experience handling reptiles. The family got the snake five months ago, Farmer said, and has resumed possession.
Indiana law does not restrict ownership of snakes.
Pet python turns lethal