Pet Boa Constrictor Kills Owner

A suburban Omaha man was strangled by his pet boa constrictor in his home as he was showing off the snake to a friend. Cory Byrne, 34, died in a local hospital just hours after cops and paramedics pried the 9-foot snake from his neck. The snake is being held by the Nebraska Human Society and may be released to a zoo or sanctuary, reports AP.

"The sad reality is, whether it's a dog or a cat or snake, no matter how much you trust an animal, they react unpredictably in certain situations," said a humane society spokesman. It's believed to be Nebraska's first fatality by a pet snake, but some 13 Americans in other states have been killed by pet pythons. (More snake stories.)