Man Found Dead in Great Smoky Mountains National Park Was Killed by Bear, Medical Examiner Says

A man who was found dead last year at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was killed by a bear, the chief medical examiner of North Carolina said in an official release.

Illinois resident Patrick Madura's remains were discovered near Hazel Creek Trail by backpackers in 2020. 

According to the park service, the backpackers noticed the remains alongside an empty tent "with a bear scavenging in the area.”

The Hazel Creek Trail and campsite 82 were temporarily closed in response to the death, according to the park service.

There are over 1,500 black bears living in the area, and Madura, 43, was the second bear-related death in the park, according to NPS.

Both the trail and the campsite have been reopened since the incident.

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