Bear that attacked Franklin County man was malnourished, had 'abnormalities'

Related video: Arkansas Game & Fish Commission describes bear encounter in Franklin County from Oct. 8

FRANKLIN COUNTY, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission has released the necropsy results for the bear involved in a fatal attack in Franklin County in September.

The report found the black bear responsible for 72-year-old Vernon Patton's death was in "poor health."

AGFC said the exact cause of the attack cannot be definitively determined but the investigation revealed that the bear was found to be malnourished, which is considered to be "highly unusual" for this time of year when food sources are typically abundant. The bear's stomach was full of natural foods, the necropsy revealed.

Microscopic abnormalities were found in the bear's spinal cord and brain by diagnos