Local Man Killed by Bull

Accident Took Place on Family Farm Along Marshalltown

A tragic accident on the morning of January 8, 2016 saw a man who lived at 1097 Marshalltown Road killed by an animal.

William (Billy) Watkins Jr. suffered catastrophic injuries and later died after reportedly being gored by a bull on his farm location.

The Lunenburg County Sheriff’s Office issued the following statement.

William Francis Watkins of 1097 Marshalltown Rd., Victoria, VA, age 61, died from blunt force trauma injuries on January 8, 2016 apparently as a result of an attack by a bull on his farm.

The Lunenburg Sheriff’s Office received a call from Mr. Watkins’ wife, reporting that he was missing. Deputy Sheriff Alex Madison arrived at the house at approximately 6:00 PM.

Mrs. Watkins was aware that their bull had gotten outside the fence of the pasture and into the yard of the home earlier that day, and Mr. Watkins was going to get the bull back into the pasture. Mrs. Watkins had left the home, and when she returned about 5:30 PM, she found his jacket on the ground torn and tattered along with his cell phone and a cell phone headset. The bull was still roaming free around the yard.

Deputy Sheriff Ethan Atkinson arrived at the premises to assist, as well as a friend of the Watkins family.

The body of Mr. Watkins was found inside a shed in the backyard where he had evidently fled to safety. He suffered severe wounds to his body, front and back, that appeared to be from the bull. An autopsy is pending at the Medical Examiner’s Office in Richmond.     The bull, a large black Angus with 6-8 inch curved horns, was dispatched by friends at the direction of Mrs. Watkins.