Florida Man Friday | Face-Eating Assault the Miami Zombie Attack | Rudy Eugene

In the area of true crime documentaries, very few cases are as inssane and horrifying as the Miami Zombie attack. On May 26, 2012, the lives of two men, Rudy Eugene and Ronald Edward Poppo, collided in a way that would leave one man permanently disfigured.

Rudy Eugene, born to Haitian immigrant parents, had a troubled past but was often described by friends and family as a sweet, loving gentleman. Despite his brushes with the law, no one could have predicted the violent outburst that would earn him the nickname “Miami Zombie.”

On this day, Rudy abandoned his car and began walking the MacArthur Causeway, for some unknonw reason, undressing along the way until he was completely naked. He then ran into Ronald Poppo, a homeless man with a tragic history of his own. What followed was an 18-minute nightmare captured on security cameras, where Rudy viciously attacked Ronald, beating him unconscious and then horrifyingly, biting off large portions of his face.

The attack was so brutal that it left Ronald with 75% to 80% of his face above his beard missing, and he lost his left eye. Despite the severity of his injuries, Ronald survived, but his life would never be the same. He underwent numerous surgeries to reconstruct his face and had to relearn basic daily activities.

The mystery of what drove Rudy to such an extreme act remains just that, a mystery. Initial toxicology reports showed only a small amount of marijuana in his system, leading to speculation that there was an involvement of a street drug known as “bath salts.” However, that was inconclusive, and the true cause of Rudy’s psychotic break remains a subject of debate among experts.

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In this week’s episode, we delve deep into the lives of both men, exploring their backgrounds, the events leading up to the attack, and the aftermath. We also discuss the theories surrounding Rudy’s behavior and the challenges faced by toxicologists in identifying new and emerging drugs.

Listen to the full episode to uncover the details of this horrifying case and join the discussion on what might have driven Rudy Eugene to commit such an act. Share your thoughts and theories with us, and don’t forget to spread the word about this episode.

Poll Question: Do you believe Rudy Eugene’s behavior was because of bath salts, a combination of legal drugs and marijuana, or something else entirely?

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