Steve Irwin Autopsy Shocker — High On Magic Mushrooms?

A shocking new autopsy on the body of TV’s “Crocodile Hunter,” Steve Irwin, will reveal the beloved wildlife daredevil was stoned on a powerful hallucinogenic drug when he was fatally stabbed by the foot-long barb of a massive stingray — with insiders telling The National ENQUIRER that the legendary television personality didn't have to die!

That’s the explosive claim by a source close to the Animal Planet hero, who charges that the truth about the star’s Sept. 4, 2006 death at age 44 was covered up a decade ago. Now, on the eve of the 10th anniversary of his passing, Steve’s body has been exhumed for a new autopsy after investigators demanded the case be reopened!

Experts are determined to find out if Steve's horrible death on a reef off Queensland, Australia, was just an “accident” — or foul play! Certainly, the insider suspects Steve was blasted on “organically grown magic mushrooms,” containing the powerful hallucinogen psilocybin, when he chased a 440-pound ray while filming a documentary about the massive fish.

“Steve always mixed pleasure with his business and this film shoot was supposed to be a laid-back outing,” said the source. After downing mushrooms on the boat, “Steve would have been tripping when he got in the water,” the source said — adding (as seen in this recreation): “Instead of avoiding the sting-ray, he might have thought, ‘Ooh, wow!’ and swam toward the beast, scaring it.”

The alarmed ray whipped its stinger, plunging the 12-inch barb into Steve’s chest and piercing his heart. He was pulled back on to the boat, but bled out and died. “There was nothing that could be done,” said paramedic Darrin Evans. “He had effectively suffered the same kind of wound as a bayonet to the chest.”

The fearless animal chaser — who wrestled crocodiles and giant snakes — was buried in secret just days later in his Queensland zoo following a quickie autopsy. The coroner noted it was obvious what had killed him, adding the message from Irwin’s death was: “Don’t get too close to stingrays.” But the autopsy results were never released!

Insiders are convinced it was part of a plot to cover up the shocking truth about his death — while all video footage taken that day was destroyed! Legal analyst John A. Carman says “if Steve was negligent by taking magic mushrooms, no one wanted that story coming out — so this smacks of a cover-up!"

"With mushrooms, added Carman, "one’s inhibitions are lowered and any sense of peril is eliminated. A lethal situation could have ensued, especially if Steve got aggressive with this animal, as he would with crocodiles and snakes.” Carman also noted that normal tests wouldn’t have revealed the presence of psilocybin.

A special exam, however, can be performed in the new autopsy. “If the drug was in him, it’s possible someone dosed him without his knowledge,” says Carman. “But even if he took it willingly, and it led to his death, whoever furnished the drug can be charged with murder. Australia, like America, has no statute of limitations for homicide!”