Posted on 11/28/2009 7:09:00 AM PST by csvset
A Swedish man who was arrested on suspicion of murdering his wife has been cleared, after police decided she was probably killed by an elk. Ingemar Westlund, aged 68, found the dead body of his wife Agneta, 63, by a lake close to the village of Loftahammer in September 2008. He was immediately arrested and held in police custody for 10 days. Now the case has been dropped after forensic analysis found elk hair and saliva on his wife's clothes. Mr Westlund told Expressen newspaper: "My family and I have been dragged through a nightmare." His wife had last been seen taking the family dog out for a walk in the forest. When she failed to return her husband went out to look for her. Although the murder investigation was dropped five months ago, details have only just emerged and the police plan to hold a news conference next week to explain what happened. The European elk, or moose, is usually considered to be shy and will normally run away from humans. But Swedish Radio International says the animals can become aggressive after eating fermented fallen apples in gardens.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.bbc.co.uk ...
I have lived in bush Alaska for the last 41 years. Summer or winter, moose are the most consistently cantankerous critter in the woods. Dogs don’t bother them and they can be very reluctant to get out of the way. I’ve been chased many times.
I have seen videos of a deer attacking a human and it is scary. They stand up on their hind legs and come down on the victims head with their hooves. A moose/elk is a much bigger animal than a deer and could inflict some terrible damage. The deer attack I saw was a buck deer attacking a human during the rut but I don’t know what set the animal off. Hormones I guess.
***A moose/elk is a much bigger animal than a deer and could inflict some terrible damage.**
Thanks D. Wouldn’t the evidence of such an attack have been present when her body was found? i.e. hoof prints in the surrounding area, bite wounds, defensive wounds.
What other circumstances caused them to even suspect the husband?
According to the article - we’ll get a full accounting in two weeks. So I’ll just shut up.
sod;)
Yes I would expect there to be some evidence of elk,moose but they do mention hair and saliva. The dog could have tried to help but again, one dog against a much larger animal.
Is this going to expand on freeper lexicon...
A moose got drunked up and kilt my sister.
Last year hunting elk with the family, we were headed back to the truck and passed a bull moose. He took a shine to us and followed us closely, making his moaning grunts. He hopped two fences and almost beat us to the truck a mile away. Most of them are placid, but they are so stupid, they are impossible to frighten away. Once one gets an idea to stomp you, shooting is the only option.
And then there are the cows with calves, the real problem.
Thanks for the interesting story. My husband almost got between a cow moose and her calf. He got out of the car to get a better look at the cow, didn’t see the calf and walked between them. The cow was getting ready to charge when I started honking the car horn and yelling for him to come back.
Ann Elk?
Cheers!
Man, I’d hate to have you on any jury that was trying me! What ever happen to innocent until proven guilty?
CSI FR
You don’t remember the great Peter Falk playing Detective Colombo?
I’m the elk’s defense attorney - sue me!
It has been difficult breaking the Anna Nicole Smith rhythm.
These articles are mental floss for the skeptics. I understood that was an FR requirement.
;)
I have read where moose in Alaska are a real problem... very large animal with a nasty disposition...
My good friend grew up in Alaska with his two younger brothers. The youngest was trampled 3 times by moose. Once he was out in the yard with the hose from a shop vac. He was whirling it around his head because it made a nice noise. A cow objected and she ran up and stomped him.
And then there was that cow and calf at a university in Fairbanks several years ago. She killed a professor trying to get into his building.
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