The Odd Truth, Dec. 17, 2004

The Odd Truth is a collection of strange but factual news stories from around the world compiled by CBSNews.com's Brian Bernbaum.

Cannibal Kills, Stews, Roasts

CANCUN, Mexico - A man accused of killing, cooking and eating his companion acknowledged having committed the crime and said the victim "tasted like lamb."

"The meat tasted like lamb, and if they'd let me, I would have eaten it all," said suspect Gumaro de Dios Arias, following a court appearance in Playa de Carmen, about 36 miles south of the Caribbean resort of Cancun.

He said he killed the victim - identified only as "El Guacho" - on Friday because the man had failed to buy Arias drugs with money he had given him for that purpose.

Afterward, Arias apparently tried to make a vegetable stew with portions of the body, but didn't like it, so instead he began to roast sections of the corpse, police said.

"I ate about 2.5 kilograms (5.5 pounds)," Arias said. "It tasted very good."

Arias was apparently under the effects of sniffing glue when he allegedly killed the man by hitting him in the head with a blunt object; the body was missing slices from its legs and internal organs when found hanging from the rafters of a hut in Playa de Carmen.

The judge in the case has several days to decide whether to hold Arias over for trial on charges of homicide.

Lama Mistaken For Deer

MADISON, Wis. - A hunter faces two charges after shooting a llama that he mistook for a deer.

John M. Burger was charged with trespassing and a misdemeanor count of mistreatment of animals after he killed a llama named Snicker Doodle Silk that was grazing on land owned by Susan and Kevin Kovacs.

According to a criminal complaint, Burger was on land adjacent to the Kovacses' property when he shot the animal Nov. 9.

Burger told a Dane County sheriff's deputy he was in a tree stand when he spotted an animal grazing about 60 yards north.

Burger said he thought the animal was a deer, probably a doe, and he waited for it to raise its head. It did not and he shot at it. He then walked toward the animal and saw herds of llamas running around, realizing his mistake.

Burger reported the accidental shooting to the Kovacs family and apologized.

The trespassing charge carries a fine of up to $1,000 and the other count carries a fine of up to $10,000 and a nine-month jail term.

Santa Cited For Weed Possession

HIGHLAND PARK, Mich. - This Santa didn't need his reindeer to fly - police charge he had pot in his pocket. Authorities in a Detroit suburb have cited a man dressed in a Santa suit who was visiting a middle school. A deputy found the pot in the pocket of a coat that had been left in a restroom. Wayne County Sheriff's Department officials say the man dressed as Ol' Saint Nick said the coat was his, but denied knowing anything about the pot. The man was at the school with his wife, who was taking pictures of the kids with Santa. Lieutenant Paul Jones says the woman wasn't very happy. He adds it's going to be a long ride back to the North Pole.

With Friends Like These ...

CENTRAL POINT, Ore. - Adam Vickers and Kyle Wisdom punk'd a friend - but police aren't laughing. According to authorities the pair staged a murder scene, making it look like Wisdom killed Vickers. The target of the practical joke, Daniel Maerz, panicked and called the cops. Police in Central Point, Oregon, rushed to the scene and even ordered the lockdown of a nearby elementary school. Officers say the two jokers had been drinking quite a bit. Both men were busted and now face a number of charges, including conspiracy to commit a crime. Maerz was arrested, too, for possession of speed.

Deep-Fried Mars Bar Actually Exists

LONDON - Like the Loch Ness monster, the deep-fried Mars bar has often been regarded as a Scottish myth.

But a study published Friday in a medical journal confirms that Scots consume thousands of the battered bars each week, and that more than a fifth of fish and chip shops - which specialize in deep-fried food - sell the strange sugary delicacy.

The study was conducted by Dr. David Morrison, a consultant in public health medicine in Glasgow, and Dr. Mark Petticrew, associate director of Glasgow's Medical Research Council Social and Public Health Sciences Unit.

They decided to investigate after the treat was mentioned by television host Jay Leno on America's NBC "Tonight Show."

"We live in Scotland but we'd never actually seen deep-fried Mars bars for sale," said Morrison. "We thought they might be fictitious. But the Scottish diet is a major health issue and it's important to know what the facts are. We can now confirm that there is no doubt - the deep-fried Mars bar is not just an urban myth."

At more than 400 calories per bar, the snack isn't health food. But then, Scotland isn't noted for healthy lifestyles.

Parts of Scotland have the highest incidence of heart disease, cancer and strokes and the lowest life expectancy in the developed world.

Children are the main consumers and some shops reported being asked to deep-fry other candy bars, including Snickers and Cadbury's Creme Eggs.