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Woman dies of apparent black mamba bite

(file/WikiMedia/Tim Vickers)
(file/WikiMedia/Tim Vickers)

PATTERSON, N.Y., June 17 (UPI) -- Authorities say an African black mamba snake may have killed a 56-year-old woman in New York's Putnam County.

Aleta Stacey was found dead by her boyfriend, who kept 75 snakes, more than two-thirds of them poisonous, in their Putnam Lake home, the New York Daily News reported Friday.

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Officials said the boyfriend, Vito Caputo, 46, called 911 when he found Stacey's body on a bed Tuesday with fang marks on one of her forearms.

Caputo told authorities he suspects Stacey was bitten by his 60-inch-long black mamba.

"What we suspect is that snake poisoning was the cause of death," said Capt. William McNamara of the Putnam County Sheriff's Department.

The report didn't say what will become of the snakes or if Caputo will be charged with any violations.

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