Charleston coroner: Kiawah Island man died before alligator attack
CHARLESTON COUNTY, S.C. (SCDNR) — The Charleston County Coroner’s Office has issued the cause of death of a Kiawah Island man that occured over the weekend.
John Elias, 79, was located by deputies with the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office late Saturday afternoon in a pond accident to his home on Kiawah Island Club Drive after he was reported missing earlier that morning.
“This is an incredibly sad and tragic situation and our thoughts are with the Elias family as they grieve the loss of their loved one,” said Coroner Wooten. “The results of the autopsy indicate that Mr. Elias died of natural causes prior to being found by the alligator. The injuries he sustained were post-mortem in nature.”
RELATED: Man possibly killed by alligator on Kiawah Island
After it was determined that Mr. Elias had injuries consistent with what would be expected from an encounter with a large alligator, the S.C. Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) was contacted by Charleston County Coroner’s Office.
The alligator was located on Sunday afternoon by SCDNR staff and euthanized.
