Victim identified in Rhames dog mauling case

updated 7:09 p.m. ET Aug. 5, 2007

LOS ANGELES - A man who died in a dog attack at the home of actor Ving Rhames was identified Saturday as Jacob Adams, 40, of Los Angeles.

Los Angeles County coroner’s officials, who released the man’s identity, said the exact cause of death was unknown pending an autopsy.

Adams had been living on Rhames’ Brentwood property for about two years as a caretaker for the actor’s dogs when he was attacked Friday morning, police said.

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Two mastiffs, each weighing about 200 pounds, apparently attacked Adams, whose body had numerous bite marks when it was found on the front lawn by officers, police have said.

Adams might have been mauled to death, but he also might have died of heart failure during the attack, coroner’s officials said Friday.

Three bull mastiffs and an English bulldog were seized by animal services following the attack, police said.

Rhames, 46, an action star who appeared in the “Mission Impossible” series of films, was not home at the time of the attack.

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