Sheriff Kobritz comes to interrogate Daniel at the farm one evening even though as the father of the victim who was brutally murdered on the property, he had been instructed by state and federal officials to stay off the case.

The sheriff’s questions show that he clearly believes that Daniel is involved in the deaths that have been occurring in Maria Bay. He tells Daniel not to leave the area without notifying his office and leaves.

When the sheriff sees a light in the land behind the Thompson barn as he’s driving back to town, he decides to investigate. He hears strange noises in the cornfield, and he realizes that somehow the pumpkins have been carved into hideous, glowing jack-o’-lanterns, and steps off the path in order to confront whoever he believes is hiding and crawling among the plants.

Pumpkin vines shoot out and wrap themselves tightly around the sheriff’s legs and body and pull him to the ground where animated corpses walk and crawl out of the cornfield to feast upon his body.