Woman Found Dead With Huge Python Wrapped Around Neck, 140 Snakes Removed From Indiana Home

A woman was found dead with a huge snake wrapped around her neck at a home in in the northern Indiana town of Oxford on Wednesday night.

Police said 36-year-old Laura Hurst was found lying motionless on the floor with an eight-foot-long python wrapped loosely around her neck. Officers arrived at the home and removed the snake from the woman’s neck but were unable to revive her.

“She appears to have been strangled by the snake. We do not know that for a fact until after the autopsy,” said Indiana State Police Sgt. Kim Riley, adding that the autopsy was scheduled for Friday.

The woman had a habit of collecting snakes and a total of 140 reptiles were found at the home that was owned by Benton County Sheriff Don Munson, who lived next door. She kept the snakes at the residence and visited the property twice a week. All the snakes were caged.

Calling the incident a “tragic accident with loss of human life,” Munson said, “I’ve given all information to the state police.” He added that he was “being fully cooperative with everybody.” An investigation into the case was ongoing.