Woman, 71, mysteriously found dead at home was mauled to death in first ever fatal black bear attack in California

A 71-year-old California woman who was mysteriously found dead at home was mauled to death by a black bear - in the first ever fatal attack of its kind.

Patrice Miller was found dead last November in her home in Downieville, a tiny town in the Sierra Nevada, two hours northeast of the state capital, Sacramento.

Sierra County sheriff’s deputies were checking on the welfare of a resident who hadn’t been seen for a few days when they found a broken door and bear scat on the porch. 

Officers forced their way into the home and discovered her dead body inside, noting the house had been ransacked, with signs that led them to believe a bear had entered the property. 

'It appeared that the bear had probably been there several days and had been feeding on the remains,' Sheriff Mike Fisher told KCRA.

It was initially believed that Miller died before the arrival of the bear and that it may have been drawn by the scent.

Meanwhile, there were many reports from concerned citizens about a bear repeatedly returning to the house. A state depredation permit was issued and a bear was trapped on the property and euthanized, according to Fisher.

An autopsy then revealed Miller passed away 'due to a bear mauling or a swipe and a bite to the neck area.'

The state Department of Fish and Wildlife confirmed that it was the first record of a deadly black bear attack on a human in the state.

'It’s a big deal,' said Steve Gonzalez, a department spokesperson. 'That doesn’t happen in California. Normally a bear is going to stay away from you, a bear that hasn’t been normalized to human behavior.'

Investigators learned from Miller’s daughter that her mother had a constant problem with bears trying to get into her home, and that she had physically hit one.

Another bear then became a problem in Downieville and was euthanized after trying to break into a school gym, resulting in a significant decrease in bear activity, the sheriff said.

DNA tests confirmed that the first bear euthanized was responsible for killing Miller.

Bears breaking into homes or trash cans in search of food have become a problem in California — from Lake Tahoe in the Sierra down to the foothill suburbs of Los Angeles, where some have been known to raid refrigerators and take dips in backyard pools and hot tubs.

After Miller's body was found, a local 'Downieville Crittercam' caught significant evidence of bears in the surrounding area the same week.

One night time video, captioned 'Double Trouble' caught two bears wandering through a garden at 3am a day before Miller's body was found on November 8.

A video from 4.30am on November 11 caught another bear strolling up into the garden from the river and sniffing about for food.

The caption reads: 'Chonky bear comes up from the river, grubs in the yard a while, then takes a different path back down to the river. Go to sleep, chonky one.'

According to the California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife black bears are the only wild bears in the state.

Sierra County Sheriff’s deputies warned local residents to take extra precautions.

They said: 'Fish and Wildlife officials are working with the sheriff’s office to ensure public safety and understand the bear's behavior.

'Residents in the vicinity of Downieville are advised to exercise caution and take necessary precautions to avoid potential encounters with all wildlife.

'Closing ground-level doors and windows at night, locking vehicles, and removing all outside food sources, including garbage, is highly recommended.'

They added: 'The Sierra County Sheriff’s Office extends its deepest condolences to the family and friends of Patrice Miller during this difficult time.

'The loss of a community member is always a tragedy, and our thoughts are with those affected by this unfortunate event.'