Deadly snakes link to mysterious death of Briton in US
Kirsty Scott
Monday May 24, 2004
The Guardian
It was a delivery driver who first noticed the wooden box left at the junction of Sixth and Byrd streets in Little Rock, Arkansas on May 14. It bore the warning "Live Venomous Reptiles", and as he moved the lid to peer in, a large cobra lifted its head to strike.
The box was taken immediately to Little Rock Zoo where keepers found four venomous snakes: a forest cobra, a 6ft green mamba, a 4ft black mamba, and a 14 inch twig snake. Mambas are among the deadliest snakes in the world.
"I thought, holy cow! We've got some pretty serious animals," keeper Randal Berry told the local KATV news.
Across town, meanwhile, detectives at the Little Rock police department were investigating the death of a British businessman, 48-year-old Garrick Wales, from Kilmacolm, near Glasgow. Mr Wales, a computer programmer, had been found slumped in his hired car near Little Rock International Airport on May 13, pale and spattered with vomit.
Within hours, the two discoveries were linked, and police are now waiting for the result of toxicology tests which may confirm that Mr Wales was killed by snake venom.
Mr Wales, who was in the state on business, is said to have ordered the snakes over the internet from a reptile dealer in Florida and had them shipped to the airport.
It was not the first time, said detectives, that he had ordered snakes on a trip to the US. But they don't know why he ordered the snakes, or what he had intended to do with them. Nor did they know where the other snakes were.
They are also baffled as to how the box of snakes came to be dumped half a mile from where his body was found.
Detective Eric Knowles said they had ruled out homicide. "There is definitely no foul play as far as someone else contributing to his death. All other possibilities remain open to us," he said. "Whether he had a snake fetish, we simply don't know."
Det Knowles said Mr Wales had picked up snakes on previous trips to the US. "We will continue trying to determine what he did with the other snakes. We still have not accounted for those snakes."
Mr Wales's family is said to have told Little Rock police that he had travelled to the US on numerous occasions and that he owned a computer information business.
His widow, Pamela, who is a teacher, did not want to talk about her husband's death.
Speaking at their home, in the affluent commuter village near Glasgow, she said: "I have no comment to make as it would not be appropriate as the matter is being investigated by American authorities. I would ask you to respect my own and my family's privacy."
Neighbours of the dead man, however, said they had no knowledge that he collected snakes.
"The link to snakes is the biggest mystery," said Ewan Marshall, 21. "I have no idea if Mr Wales had pet snakes or an interest in them - but I find it very unlikely."
Another neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said: "Mr Wales did not have any hobbies involving snakes. He has never kept them or been interested in them as far as I am aware."
Experts, meanwhile, say the snakes in the box, thought to be worth around
Deadly snakes link to mysterious death of Briton in US
Kirsty Scott
Monday May 24, 2004
The Guardian
It was a delivery driver who first noticed the wooden box left at the junction of Sixth and Byrd streets in Little Rock, Arkansas on May 14. It bore the warning "Live Venomous Reptiles", and as he moved the lid to peer in, a large cobra lifted its head to strike.
The box was taken immediately to Little Rock Zoo where keepers found four venomous snakes: a forest cobra, a 6ft green mamba, a 4ft black mamba, and a 14 inch twig snake. Mambas are among the deadliest snakes in the world.
"I thought, holy cow! We've got some pretty serious animals," keeper Randal Berry told the local KATV news.
Across town, meanwhile, detectives at the Little Rock police department were investigating the death of a British businessman, 48-year-old Garrick Wales, from Kilmacolm, near Glasgow. Mr Wales, a computer programmer, had been found slumped in his hired car near Little Rock International Airport on May 13, pale and spattered with vomit.
Within hours, the two discoveries were linked, and police are now waiting for the result of toxicology tests which may confirm that Mr Wales was killed by snake venom.
Mr Wales, who was in the state on business, is said to have ordered the snakes over the internet from a reptile dealer in Florida and had them shipped to the airport.
It was not the first time, said detectives, that he had ordered snakes on a trip to the US. But they don't know why he ordered the snakes, or what he had intended to do with them. Nor did they know where the other snakes were.
They are also baffled as to how the box of snakes came to be dumped half a mile from where his body was found.
Detective Eric Knowles said they had ruled out homicide. "There is definitely no foul play as far as someone else contributing to his death. All other possibilities remain open to us," he said. "Whether he had a snake fetish, we simply don't know."
Det Knowles said Mr Wales had picked up snakes on previous trips to the US. "We will continue trying to determine what he did with the other snakes. We still have not accounted for those snakes."
Mr Wales's family is said to have told Little Rock police that he had travelled to the US on numerous occasions and that he owned a computer information business.
His widow, Pamela, who is a teacher, did not want to talk about her husband's death.
Speaking at their home, in the affluent commuter village near Glasgow, she said: "I have no comment to make as it would not be appropriate as the matter is being investigated by American authorities. I would ask you to respect my own and my family's privacy."
Neighbours of the dead man, however, said they had no knowledge that he collected snakes.
"The link to snakes is the biggest mystery," said Ewan Marshall, 21. "I have no idea if Mr Wales had pet snakes or an interest in them - but I find it very unlikely."
Another neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said: "Mr Wales did not have any hobbies involving snakes. He has never kept them or been interested in them as far as I am aware."
Experts, meanwhile, say the snakes in the box, thought to be worth around $1,000, were among the most dangerous in the world.
"He had some pretty deadly snakes," said Joel Weber, a reptile keeper at the herpetarium at Memphis Zoo.
"One bite from a mamba could put you out like nothing. Mambas are deadly venomous and they are pretty high strung, too."
He added: "Even a bite from a forest cobra would be pretty severe without medical help and I would not expect most hospitals to keep anti-venom for snakes like this."
Mr Weber said staff at the zoo avoided directly handling such snakes, preferring a system of shift cages to move the creatures around.
"I would not personally want to handle any of these," he said.
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Venom at large
Black mamba
One of the deadliest snakes in the world, the Black Mamba can grow up to 14ft. The swift black mamba comes from southern Africa. As little as two drops of venom can kill and each carries up to 20 drops of venom in its fangs.
Green mamba
The bite of the green mamba can be fatal in as little as 30 minutes. Mainly found in tropical or wooded areas of south and east Africa, it can grow to between 4ft and 7ft.
Forest cobra
A close relative of the Egyptian cobra, this species is found in the subtropical rainforests of Africa. It grows to 8ft or longer. Not considered the most dangerous of cobras, its bite nevertheless can be lethal without medical intervention.
Twig snake
Named after its bark-like colouration, the snake is found in eastern and southern Africa. A rear-fanged species, its bite is not normally dangerous, but it has been known to kill. The largest specimen measured 4ft.
,000, were among the most dangerous in the world.
"He had some pretty deadly snakes," said Joel Weber, a reptile keeper at the herpetarium at Memphis Zoo.
"One bite from a mamba could put you out like nothing. Mambas are deadly venomous and they are pretty high strung, too."
He added: "Even a bite from a forest cobra would be pretty severe without medical help and I would not expect most hospitals to keep anti-venom for snakes like this."
Mr Weber said staff at the zoo avoided directly handling such snakes, preferring a system of shift cages to move the creatures around.
"I would not personally want to handle any of these," he said.
-----------------------------------------
Venom at large
Black mamba
One of the deadliest snakes in the world, the Black Mamba can grow up to 14ft. The swift black mamba comes from southern Africa. As little as two drops of venom can kill and each carries up to 20 drops of venom in its fangs.
Green mamba
The bite of the green mamba can be fatal in as little as 30 minutes. Mainly found in tropical or wooded areas of south and east Africa, it can grow to between 4ft and 7ft.
Forest cobra
A close relative of the Egyptian cobra, this species is found in the subtropical rainforests of Africa. It grows to 8ft or longer. Not considered the most dangerous of cobras, its bite nevertheless can be lethal without medical intervention.
Twig snake
Named after its bark-like colouration, the snake is found in eastern and southern Africa. A rear-fanged species, its bite is not normally dangerous, but it has been known to kill. The largest specimen measured 4ft.
