FL FL - Auburndale, Polk County- Male, Black, 60-70- Under palmetto, square orbits - UP7557- February 19, 1999

[PatLaurel]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

0 Missing Person Exclusions

Circumstances of Recovery: Found decedent lying prone under palmetto bushes in the woods. Zoophagia of both feet and hands and body badly decomposed.

Eye Description The orbits reveal a square to rectangular like appearance

 

[PatLaurel]

I’m confused by the term “zoophagia” here. Shouldn’t it be “necrophagy” instead?

Zoophagy refers to feeding on animals in general.

Necrophagy specifically refers to the feeding on dead carcasses or decaying flesh (scavenging).

MOO JMO

 

[Colleen Donnelly]

I’m confused by the term “zoophagia” here. Shouldn’t it be “necrophagy” instead?

I think you're correct. Zoophagy relates to eating live food, like a tiger eating a just caught gazelle. Necrophagy is carrion eating, scavenging from the already dead as you said.

And wow! what a rabbit hole I went down reading/learning about eye orbits.

 

[PatLaurel]

And wow! what a rabbit hole I went down reading/learning about eye orbits.

I did too! Somehow I read “orbits,” but my brain went straight to square irises. I guess the zoophagia confusion had already sent my imagination wandering.