Florida

Gator Killed Man in Community Hit by Burglaries

An 11-foot alligator killed a man who may have hidden as officers investigated reports of two suspicious people in a Florida community targeted by burglars, authorities said.

Brevard County Sheriff's Maj. Tod Goodyear said 22-year-old Matthew Riggins told his girlfriend he would be in Barefoot Bay to commit burglaries with another suspect.

Authorities investigated after receiving calls Nov. 13 about two suspicious men clad in black walking behind homes. Riggins was reported missing the next day.

Goodyear said sheriff's divers recovered Riggins' body 10 days later in a nearby lake. His injuries were consistent with an alligator attack.

Authorities said Riggins had drowned and the alligator, which behaved aggressively toward divers, was trapped and euthanized.

Florida Today reports a second person has been taken into custody.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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