Swarm of bees kill elderly couple

An elderly Texas couple died and their son was injured in an attack of bees at their ranch outside Hebbronville, Jim Hogg County deputies said. William “W.T.” Steele, his wife Myrtle and their son Richard were cleaning the small house they own on ranchland near Jones Ranch, a hunting area in Jim Hogg County, their daughter-in-law Judy Steele said.

The Steeles had gone to the ranch, which Judy Steele described as “way out in the middle of Jones Ranch,” for the day. She expected them to return on Monday afternoon. The elder Steele was spraying to kill bees that had built a nest in the fireplace, when the bees swarmed and attacked him, his wife and their son. She said her father-in-law must not have realized how large the bees’ nest was.



W.T. Steele, 90, was pronounced dead at the scene. Myrtle Steele, 92, was airlifted to a Corpus Christi hospital, about 100 miles away, where she died on Tuesday, Judy Steele said, adding her mother-in-law had been stung more than 300 times. Richard Steele, 67, suffered many bee stings to his head and face, she said. He was taken to Laredo Memorial Hospital, about 80 miles from the ranch, and was released on Tuesday.

Judy Steele said there was no cell phone service from her in-law’s ranch and her husband had to drive several miles to the nearest phone, where he called 9-1-1. Then he had to wait at the end of the ranch road so he could lead emergency workers to his injured parents. As of Tuesday evening, the species of bees had not been identified and the hive had not been removed from the home.