A 43-year-old Louisiana man was arrested after biting off part of his neighbor's face over the weekend, and critics fear that the incident could be among the growing list of recent cannibal attacks potentially linked to "bath salt" drugs.
Twitter: Carl JacquneauxAccused Cannibal Carl JacquneauxCarl Jacquneaux, who police say was "under the influence of some kind of drug," arrived at Todd Credeur's home where he violently assaulted him "over a domestic issue," according to Gawker.com.
Credeur, who was left with a chunk of flesh torn from below his left eye, was able to escape from further injury after spraying his attacker's face with Wasp spray.
"During the attack, the suspect bit a chunk of the victim's face off," said Scott Assistant Police Chief, Kert Thomas, adding that the gruesome attack is "very unusual" and "not something we see [every day]."
An unidentified friend of Credeur believes that Jacquneaux may have been high on bath salts, a dangerous drug which has also been linked to the recent zombie cannibal attacks in Miami and Maryland.
Similarly, Ronald Poppo, 65, is fighting for his life after 31-year-old Rudy Eugene, who witnesses described as a "zombie," unexpectedly chewed off his eyes, nose and mouth in a vicious attack in Miami that recently shocked the nation. Eugene is believed to have consumed bath salts prior to pouncing on Poppo, who was sleeping before the incident occurred.
Alexander Kinyua, a 21-year-old Morgan State University student, was arrested after admitting that he ate his house mate Kujoe Bonsafo Agyei-Kodie's heart and portions of his brain in a separate cannibal attack which some critics also attribute to the deadly drug.
Bath salts are said to be the street name for a drug containing synthetic stimulants such as mephedrone or methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV).
The U.S. Senate recently voted 96-1 to ban the chemicals that are used to make the drug known as bath salts along with other synthetic drugs, which critics say may help prevent any further gruesome attacks.
"A common effect of these synthetic products is that they cause psychotic episodes- anxiety, paranoia, they're all documented effects," Paul Melton, an investigator with Florida's Pinellas County Justice Coordination told USnews.
"Does it cause someone to eat someone's face, I can't say that ... But it certainly could cause anxiety and delusions that could lead to something like that," he added.
The drug, which can be snorted, injected, or swallowed, has been described as being similar to amphetamines, cocaine, and LSD, and is reportedly so potent that it is often sold as a form of plant fertilizer.
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