COLUMBIA, N.C. -- Officials in Tyrrell County say a woman known for feeding bears may have been killed by one of the animals.

Sheriff Darryl Liverman told local media outlets that 67-year-old Kay Grayson may have been dead more than two weeks when her body was found Monday in some woods.

"Based on what we saw, it appeared a bear dragged her back into the woods," Liverman said. He said investigators are not certain she was killed by a bear. The remains are being evaluated by the medical examiner in Greenville.

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Grayson was known for feeding bears for more than 20 years. She often called the sheriff's office or the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission to complain about hunters. Grayson lived alone in a mobile home along U.S. 64 east of Columbia.

Liverman said deputies followed up on a request to check on the woman. The remains were found in some woods about 200 yards from her home.