The Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office is investigating after a 75-year-old man was found dead at a rural property in Donna.

Investigators believe a 4-year-old bull on the property, who the victim’s family said had been showing signs of aggression over the last few months, may have been responsible for the death, the sheriff’s office stated in a news release.

Deputies with the sheriff’s office responded to the property at the 900 block of Anderson Road in Donna Monday at around 3 p.m. where the unidentified victim was found lying face down with “apparent injuries.”

According to the release, the man had failed to return home from feeding animals on the property. 

Deputies at the scene observed scrapes on the victim’s back and side, “suggesting he may have been dragged,” the release stated.

“It was also reported that a four-year-old bull, which had shown increased aggression over the past two months, may have attacked the victim,” the release added. “The bull, believed to be responsible, displayed aggressive behavior as investigators approached it.”

Investigators found fresh hoof marks near the victim’s body and visible abrasions on the man’s upper body that indicated that the victim may have been trampled, according to the release.

An autopsy revealed that the victim died from blunt force trauma to the chest and heart disease, and the cause of death was ruled accidental. 

Lt. Enrique Longoria, a spokesperson for the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office, said the bull remained on the property as the agency had "no authority to remove it."

The Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office says those with any information related to the ongoing investigation are urged to contact them at 956-383-8114.