Did A Cougar Kill A TX Man?

When Christopher Whiteley was found dead in Hood County, TX, officials initially said a cougar (mountain lion) was the culprit. Then officials with the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department and USDA got involved and said it was not. The official cause of death was changed to “undetermined”. In this episode of Dark Outdoors we talk with writer Morgan O’Hanlan about the article she wrote on the topic in Texas Monthly and ponder the question, “What really killed Christopher Whiteley??

Hear the story from the journalist who investigated it on this edition of Dark Outdoors, sponsored by Texas Fish & Game. Listen via the player below or click here

After Whiteley was reported missing in Dec. 2002, deputies checked a wooded area nearby and eventually found Whiteley, who was found deceased.

Whiteley’s body was sent to the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy.  The preliminary findings say he died from a wild animal attack, possibly a mountain lion.

Sherriff’s Office officials said they contacted a Governmental Trapper with the USDA, who specializes in tracking and removing mountain lions.

And that’s where the very public disagreements began.

In this episode we get in-depth on the investigation and address various scenarios with this tragic case. After all, whether it was a cougar attack or not, someone passed away.

About Dark Outdoors

The goal of Dark Outdoors is to shine light on growing dangers in the wild ranging from criminal elements to psychos, dangerous wildlife and other strange occuerences.

The show won “Best Investigative Program” from the Press Club of Southeast Texas in 2023 and “Overall Podcast Excellence”. It is hosted by TF&G Editor-In-Chief Chester Moore and sponsored by TF&G along with its sister podcast Higher Calling Wildlife. You can check its latest episode here.

You can subscribe to both podcasts on Spotify, Apple Music, IHeartradio and all major podcasting platforms.