NBC NewsNBC News

An autopsy shows that a Maryland man died of accidental snake envenomation.

The state medical examiner's office ruled that David Riston died of snake envenomation. His death was an accident.

Authorities downplayed the possibility that Riston had been killed by a snake when he was discovered. Some of the snakes found in his home were exotic and illegal.

Charles County spokeswoman Jen Harris said at the time that nobody seemed to be aware that he had snakes in the home.

Image: Officials remove snakes from a home in Maryland. (Charles County government)
Image: Officials remove snakes from a home in Maryland. (Charles County government)
Image: Charles County officials investigate the death of a man who was found dead in his home with more than 100 snakes, including some venomous snakes. (WRC-TV)
Image: Charles County officials investigate the death of a man who was found dead in his home with more than 100 snakes, including some venomous snakes. (WRC-TV)

Harris said the snakes included rattlesnakes, cobras, black mambas and a 14-foot-long Burmese python. One of them is suspected of killing Riston.

The day after Riston was found dead, exotic animal experts removed all of the snakes.

Dianne Richardson, a spokeswoman for the Charles County Sheriff's Office, said that Riston's autopsy was done in Baltimore. According to an email from Andy Owen, the death of Riston was accidental and that it was caused by snakes.

  • An autopsy shows that a Maryland man died of accidental snake envenomation.

  • The cause of death was accidental, according to the Maryland State Medical Examiner's Office.

  • Ad12Up
    • Why this Ad?
    • Go ad-free*

    A man builds a trap to catch a thief.

  • Daytona Beach News-Journal

    The seven-time NASCAR champ fractured his hand last week and had a screw inserted this week to fix it.

  • The third attempt to fuel the SLS moon rocket was derailed by technical issues.

  • The Leon County Sheriff's Office was ordered to pay nearly $270,000 to a man who was wrongly arrested.

  • The five episode-run of Private Eye was solid, but the timing of the show was bad.

  • If you put your son in the barber chair, you could count on the deputy who cut hair as a sideline to issue a fatherly warning about staying out of trouble. At the end of the day, he thinks about the routine he and his friend always followed.

  • Russia would put nuclear arms near the Baltics if Sweden joined the alliance, according to the ex-Russian President. The Kremlin did not comment.

  • Corpus Christi Caller-Times

    The Nueces County Medical Examiner's Office has been the site of two previous arrests.

  • Some acts of street art are funnier than criminal acts, and we believe many would agree.

  • The main suspect in the killing of a woman and a teenage girl in a North Lauderdale townhome community has a history of domestic violence, according to the sheriff's office.

  • Parents should be aware of this phenomenon.

  • One sailor was killed when an aircraft crashed in the water off the Eastern Shore. The Navy said that the E-2D Hawkeye went down in the vicinity of Wallops Island, Virginia, on March 30. One of the three sailors on the plane died in the crash, while the other two were rescued by Maryland State Police, who found them injured and on top of the partly submerged wreck.

  • The ones captured on camera are so bad, they are almost unbelievable.

  • When you find the guy that sets the tone for your team, you do not let him go, said Michael Irvin.

  • The reality is that it is difficult to get away with murder, says a former Texas Ranger.

  • The L.A. County Sheriff has threatened to pull his deputies off of the transit system if his agency isn't in charge of security.

  • AdLivestly
    • Why this Ad?
    • Go ad-free*

    I never knew...

  • A section of Pennsylvania Route 611 that runs parallel to Route 80 has been closed due to a washout.

  • The statewide investigation involved wiretaps and social media monitoring, as well as keeping tabs on gang members directing operations from prison.

  • IndyStar | The Indianapolis Star

    The FBI searched through Don Miller's thousands of cultural artifacts and bones on his farm in Rush County. He had some that were not legal.

  • AdSmartAsset
    • Why this Ad?
    • Go ad-free*

    Saving for retirement is all about investing, and capital gains taxes can eat up a significant portion of your earnings each year.

  • The home of the former Seattle Seahawks quarterback is up for sale after he was traded to the Broncos.

  • There is a risk of harm to the public if dust mitigation measures at the Oceano Dunes are delayed.

  • VC Star | Ventura County Star

    The first mountain lions affected by parvo are the kittens.