Exotic Animal Owner Died During "Consensual Sex Act"

More details have emerged in the death of Sam Mazzola: he apparently died as a result of a “consensual sex act” involving a seventeen-year-old boy.

According to the Morning Journal, the boy who found the man dead on Sunday morning was also the one who had chained him to his waterbed the previous night. Mazzola apparently choked on “a sex toy in his mouth that was attached to a gag” — he “was also wearing a leather mask with the eyes and mouth zipped shut and was handcuffed to chains that were attached to the bed and the floor.” It’s not clear if the bondage that resulted in Mazzola’s death involved any sexual contact with the teen, but in any case, the age of consent in Ohio is sixteen. Police are also investigating whether anyone else took part.

Meanwhile, Mazzola’s animals continue to be sent to new homes, but PETA’s unhappy with the facilities where some are ending up. PETA is upset about the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’s handling of Mazzola’s many animals. Says spokesperson Brittany Peet:

Basically, ODNR [Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources] shirked on their responsibilities. Certainly the ODNR has the authority to seize the bears, coyotes, fox and skunk and see that they were sent to reputable sanctuary. As long as there are animals on Sam Mazzola’s property, we are urging the ODNR to step in.