Autopsy Finds No Human Flesh Inside Stomach of 'Miami Zombie

Editor’s note: this story contains graphic images that may be disturbing to some.

Despite chewing off nearly all of a homeless man's face, an autopsy performed on the body of the so-called "Miami cannibal" shows there was no human flesh inside his stomach, The Miami Herald reports.

The Blaze previously brought you the story of Rudy Eugene, 31, who was shot and killed by police after attacking a homeless man named Ronald Poppo on May 26 in Florida, literally eating his face off. By the time officers stopped the assault, nearly 20 minutes after it began, most of Poppo's face was gone.

(Related: Graphic: Surveillance Footage Shows Entire Violent Attack by Naked Cannibal in Florida)

The autopsy did reveal, however, flesh in between Eugene's teeth and multiple undigested pills in his stomach, but investigators have not identified the pills yet, a law enforcement source told The Miami Herald.

The Herald continues:

Fueled by the Internet and widespread interest in the macabre case, some media reports have dubbed Eugene the “Causeway Cannibal” and the “Miami Zombie.”

The chatter even led the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to issue a statement last week denying the existence of a zombie virus, and Los Angeles celebrity lawyer Gloria Allred to hold a much-panned press conference in Miami decrying the ills of cannibalism.

Eugene’s autopsy records have not been released to the public, and will likely not become available until Miami-Dade prosecutors finish their review of the shooting. That could take more than a year.

So far, Poppo has...been unable to tell Miami detectives what happened.

A preliminary review found the presence of marijuana in Eugene’s system, a law enforcement source said, which was no surprise because Eugene’s family and friends widely reported that he was fond of smoking pot.

But marijuana doesn’t usually spark violent attacks. Whether the pills found in his stomach played a role in Eugene’s outburst of violence is unknown. Toxicology tests will take weeks to complete.

Investigators assume some type of drug fueled Eugene’s bizarre behavior, but they have no indication that he may have used “bath salts,” a synthetic stimulant that in some cases can lead to psychotic episodes, paranoia and violence. Miami’s police union has speculated that Eugene might have been acting under the influence of bath salts.

Bath salts is a "potent hallucinogenic drug" and side effects reportedly include paranoia, hallucinations, convulsions, and psychotic episodes, according to The Daily Mail.

Poppo, 65, is recovering at Jackson Memorial Hospital. He has undergone multiple skin grafts in attempt to salvage some of his mutilated face. Photos of the homeless man that were released after the attack were dubbed "unbelievably horrifying."

There were chunks of Poppo's flesh found on the ground following the horrifying ordeal, which indicates Eugene spit it out after tearing it off with his teeth. Also reportedly found at the scene were torn up pieces of a Bible and a set of gold teeth in Eugene's pants.

A source tells The Herald that the skin found on the concrete sidewalk was baked under the hot sun for a period of time after the attack. As a result, it could not be used to help put his face back together.

A funeral was held Saturday for Eugene. The Miami Herald reported about 150 people attended the service.

The program handed out at the funeral described Eugene as "a boy who aspired to the best, to a man who was focused on enjoying his piece of the American dream" by owning a car-detailing business.

Eugene's brother, Marckenson Eugene, said his brother was always there for him and often helped him pay the bills when money was tight.

If you haven't seen the terrifying attack, The Miami Herald recently released surveillance footage that shows the encounter in its entirety. Be warned, the content of the video is extremely graphic and is not recommended for younger readers:

(H/T: Daily Mail)

The Associated Press contributed to this report. This story has been updated.