Story highlights The body of Rory Nelson Wagner was found in a rural area this week

It is believed he was dead before the bear mauled him

Wagner had been on parole after murder conviction, CNN affiliate reports

A bear ate the corpse of a convicted killer in a wooded area of Canada, according to authorities.

The mauled body of Rory Nelson Wagner, 53, was found in a rural area in southern British Columbia on Wednesday evening, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said.

Police believe Wagner was already dead in a 1986 Volkswagen Jetta when the black bear broke into the vehicle, ate some parts of him and dragged the rest of the body away.

"The driver's window of the vehicle was down and investigators noted numerous muddy animal prints and scratches on the car," police said.

Officials "discovered the body in the surrounding bush, about 120 meters from the vehicle," police said.

Drug paraphernalia and a bottle of liquor was found in the car. A coroner is conducting an autopsy and toxicology tests.

Wagner and two other people were charged with the 1993 killing of a man they thought had sexually assaulted a relative, CNN affiliate CTV reported. The man they killed was found not guilty of sexual assault charges, according to the affiliate.

Wagner was convicted for the murder, but he had been on parole.

Conservation officials say the bear was caught, but may be killed to ensure public safety.