Man gets live rattlesnake in the mail at Mojave Desert post office

A Western rattlesnake, also known as Northern Pacific rattlesnake. The species is rarely found in Southern California, but a man in the Mojave Desert received one in the mail.

Elijah Bowles experienced a terrifying ordeal last week when he picked up a package from the Twentynine Palms Post Office, only to discover a live rattlesnake inside. The package had been tampered with; cotton balls muffled the snake's rattle, preventing postal workers from detecting the dangerous contents.

“That’s attempted murder, if you ask me,” said Bowles, a 60-year-old truck driver.

The frightening discovery occurred as Bowles and a friend were leaving the post office. Bowles asked his friend to open the package, which she quickly threw back at him upon seeing the snake. Bowles then pulled over, placed the box by the curb, and used a stick to open it, revealing a 2-foot-long rattlesnake. He immediately called 911 and Animal Control.

Animal Control removed the snake, identified as a Western rattlesnake, a species common in Northern California but not usually found in Southern California. Rick Boyd, Animal Control supervisor, noted that the snake must have been intentionally placed in the package.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department took a report, forwarding the case to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service for further investigation. Postal inspector Patricia Mendoza confirmed that the investigation is ongoing. The package, marked "fragile," listed a return address in Palm Coast, Florida, but tracking information showed it was mailed from Hayward, California, on May 3.

This isn't the first time Southern California has seen such a bizarre assassination attempt. In 1978, trial attorney Paul Morantz was nearly killed by a rattlesnake planted in his mailbox, linked to the Synanon cult leader Charles Dederich and his associates, who later pleaded no contest to related charges.

Local wildlife experts confirm that rattlesnakes can survive long periods without food or water, making such attempts feasible. Danielle Wall, a high desert snake wrangler, explained that snakes can endure mail transit if they don’t overheat or freeze.

Adding to the mystery, Bowles learned that a second similar package had been sent to his home in Florida. He instructed his family to take the package to the police station unopened.

“I’m trying to figure out, do I have any enemies?” Bowles said. “I’m not a gangster. I’m a truck driver.”