Autopsy: Pills, not flesh, found in stomach of 'Miami Zombie'

The man dubbed the "Miami Zombie" did not swallow his victim's flesh, an autopsy reveals.

Jun 10, 2012

The man dubbed the “Miami Zombie” did not swallow his victim’s flesh, an autopsy reveals.

The autopsy on Rudy Eugene, 31, who was shot to death by police following his violent attack on homeless man Ronald Poppo on May 26th, revealed that he had several undigested pills in his stomach, and marijuana in his system, according to the Miami Herald, which quoted a law enforcement source. But despite the fact that Eugene tore off much of Poppo’s face with his teeth during the attack, no undigested human flesh was found the attacker’s stomach. Marijuana was also found in Eugene’s system, though the drug is not known to cause violent behavior. There has also been speculation that Eugene may have been using bath salts – which have been used as a drug and can allegedly produce bizarre behavior.

Eugene has been dubbed the “Causeway Cannibal” and the “Miami Zombie” following the daylight attack, in which a naked Eugene attacked Poppo on a Miami causeway bridge. The attack happened during Memorial Day weekend. Police found chunks of Poppo’s flesh on the ground following the attack, and the Herald reports that pieces of flesh were found in Eugene’s teeth, indicating he spit out the gore, rather than swallowing it.

Poppo remains hospitalized in Miami, where he is reportedly undergoing skin grafts to repair his face – some 80 percent of which was destroyed in the attack.