BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — A burglary suspect was killed by an 11-foot alligator while hiding from deputies in a Florida pond.
Matthew Riggin’s body was discovered floating in a pond on Nov. 23, 10 days after he was reported missing, reported WFTV. Police said that his injuries matched those of an alligator attack.
Riggins told his girlfriend that he and an accomplice were planning to burglarize homes in the area on Nov. 13, and then later called her while on the run, police told WFTV.
Police said a neighbor reported two suspicious men dressed in black walking in the neighborhood, but the two escaped into the woods when police arrived.
Police found an 11-foot alligator near Riggin’s body, and were able to match his injuries to the alligator, WFTV reported. The alligator was euthanized by Florida Fish and Wildlife.
“So at that point, we had a belief that he was probably attacked by the alligator when he was trying to get away from police,” a Brevard County Sheriff’s Office deputy told WFTV.
