Illinois man visiting Great Smoky Mountains National Park killed by bear, medical examiner says

The chief medical examiner in North Carolina says a man visiting the Great Smoky Mountains National Park last year was likely killed by a bear, the National Park Service said Thursday.

A park service statement said the death of Patrick Madura, 43, of Elgin, Illinois, was the second bear-related fatality in the history of the park. Park rangers said at the time that Madura's remains were found near Hazel Creek Trail after backpackers discovered an unoccupied tent and saw the remains "with a bear scavenging in the area" on Sept. 11, 2020.