As far as handling snakes alone-- even my 3 foot male BP can squeeze my arm or neck hard enough to be difficult to remove or make me feel uncomfortable. I would never feel safe handling a larger snake by myself (and for the record, I try not to allow him on my neck at all).
The "snake house" thing-- the house was owned by the Sheriff, and I can't wait to find out more details about that situation or set-up. Was he a breeder, an enthusiastic hobbyist, or a hoarder? What was his relationship with the dead woman? Hmmmm . . . .