“A presumptive test indicates that the unknown material found in the animal’s stomach is that of a human,” said DFG Wildlife Forensics Specialist Jim Banks….A necropsy of the mountain lion reveals that it was a 122-pound male in good nutritional condition. A rabies test was negative. The mountain lion’s age is estimated to be three to four years, based on an examination of its teeth in comparison to its body weight. Adult male mountain lions in California typically weigh between 120 and 150 pounds and are about seven to eight feet long, from nose to end of tail. Adult females are smaller-about six to seven feet long and weighing between 65 and 90 pounds.

Evidence retrieved from the mountain lion for forensic analysis includes stomach contents as well as material collected from the paws, face, and mouth. “Tests of the blood taken from the mouth and paws so far have shown only lion blood. However, when it comes to testing on humans, the Orange County Crime Lab is better equipped to process the samples.” said Banks. “Samples collected from the clothing of both victims are being sent here to Wildlife DNA experts Levine and Rodzen at DFG Wildlife Forensics Lab, where our specialty is wildlife DNA extraction and analysis. We will compare both sets of samples to the control samples we obtained from the lion.”