Harvey Updyke, known for poisioning Auburn's famous trees, dies at 71
Harvey Updyke, known for poisioning Auburn's famous trees, dies at 71
In 2011, a Louisiana man named Harvey Updyke called in to a radio show and admitted that in 2010 he'd poisoned a group of famous oak trees at Auburn university because he was upset after the Auburn Tigers defeated his preferred team, Alabama's Crimson Tide, in the 2010 Iron Bowl.
Updyke's confession made national headlines and the treasured trees he'd killed at Toomer's Corner on Auburn's campus were cut down and replaced.
"The weekend after the Iron Bowl, I went to Auburn because I lived 30 miles away, and I poisoned the two Toomer’s trees," he told Finebaum on the air. "I put Spike 80DF in ‘em."
The then 62-year-old Alabama fan pleaded guilty to a felony charge of criminal damage of an agricultural facility and spent over 70 days in jail in addition to being fined $800,000.
But Updyke was only able to pay $6,900 of the fine as he passed away this month.
AL.com reports that after serving time for the 2011 antics, he resided in Albany, Louisiana.
His son, Bear, announced the news of his death.
Updyke was 71 years of age at the time of his passing.
