A German man tragically met his demise after being bitten and killed by his pet black widow spider in his home filled with various creatures, including 200 insects and lizards. The police discovered the man’s lifeless body in 2004, surrounded by a swarm of creepy crawlies feeding on him.
The fatal spider bite was inflicted by a black widow named Bettina, whose venom was exceptionally potent, surpassing that of rattlesnakes, cobras, and coral snakes. The police described the scene as resembling a horror movie, with giant webs enveloping the man and spiders emerging from his orifices, while lizards tore flesh off him, feeding the remains to tarantulas and other spiders.
The man, identified as Mark Voegel, was a recluse who never entertained visitors at his residence in Dortmund, which was likened to a blend of botanical gardens and the butterfly breeding site from a famous movie. Apart from spiders, Voegel also kept snakes, frogs, and a gecko in his home.
Voegel was believed to have passed away one to two weeks before his body was found by the police, prompted by complaints from neighbors about a foul odor emanating from his apartment. The apartment was described as a chaotic scene with open cages and terrariums, emitting an eerie green light, housing numerous termites and cobwebs covering the deceased man.
Local experts criticized Voegel for keeping aggressive pets, particularly some spiders, likening them to pit bulls in the animal kingdom. The incident shed light on the dangers of maintaining such a diverse and potentially hazardous collection of creatures in a confined space.