Officials identify Missouri man believed to be killed by bear at Arkansas campground

NEWTON COUNTY, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — The man believed to have been killed by a bear at a campground in Newton County last week has been identified, according to authorities.

Newton County Sheriff Glenn Wheeler said

the man killed by a bear at Sam’s Throne Campground at the Ozark National Forest near Mount Judea was identified as Max Thomas, aged 60, of Springfield, Mo.

Wheeler said that Thomas had been camping at the campground and stopped making contact with his family. Officials previously said that Thomas had sent pictures of a bear at his camp before his death.

Thomas’ body was located on the evening of Oct. 2, several yards out of camp, according to Wheeler.

The bear believed to be responsible for Thomas’ death was caught on a cellular camera near where the attack occurred. It was treed by hounds and later killed.

KNWA/FOX24 obtained a photo of the bear reportedly responsible for Thomas’ death, which can be found below.

Wheeler said possible DNA results are pending to give confirmation.

“Max was a husband and a father who leaves behind several loved ones. He was out enjoying a beautiful part of the world when a very unfortunate incident occurred,” Wheeler said in the release. “We are getting some pushback from a small minority of people who feel the bear should not have been killed as a result of this. To those people, I would say that, while it is unfortunate that it had to end that way, human life is vastly more important and public safety takes priority.”

Wheeler also said that bears that attack humans are dangerous and will continue to pose a threat.

The sheriff previously said that the campground and the surrounding areas will continue to be closed as traps and other equipment are still there. The closure will remain in place pending DNA results to be sure the “threat is gone,” Wheeler said.