Florida 'burglar' is eaten by an ALLIGATOR while hiding from police

A story about how crime does not pay.

Matthew Riggins was spotted lurking behind homes in Barefoot Bay, Florida on November 13 by neighbors who called police. Police arrived on the scene around 2am with K-9 units and a helicopter but could not find the men who were able to flee and hide. Riggins, 22, called his girlfriend during the chase and let her know he would be laying low. He made his way to the edge of Barefoot Bay pond and was reported missing by his family later that day. Ten days later on November 23 Riggins' body was found floating in the pond with an aggressive 11-foot alligator nearby guarding the corpse. A trapper had to euthanize the alligator, whose stomach contained Riggins remains.

An alligator drowned a Florida man trying to hide from police - and then ate his remains. Matthew Riggins, 22, was reported missing on November 13, shortly after he and another man had made a plan to rob houses in Barefoot Bay according to his girlfriend. His body was found 10 days later floating in Barefoot Bay pond - closely guarded by an 11-foot alligator. 'He hid in the wrong place,' said local resident Laura Farris.

The alligator also met an untimely end on the day Riggins body was discovered as a trapper from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission was forced to euthanize the reptile after it aggressively began approaching divers sent to recover Riggins corpse.

LIN K

You would think a local resident of Florida would be aware how the waters of Florida are infested with alligators.

Is it possible we can learn something from this tragedy? Is this poetic justice?

a reply to: DeathSlayer
That people in Florida who commit crimes can be stupid? It is not justice of any kind to be eaten by an alligator for attempted burglary.

I hate how we always have to kill any wild animal that kills a human. I know it's to keep a "taste trend" from starting but at the same time we're the only thing on the planet that there's too many of.

I'd have gave the gator a badge.

a reply to: rexsblues

Agreed. It is their world after all. This delta bravo experienced divine intervention. He committed the crime, and became the prime (rib) that is.

Stay in school kids.

originally posted by: reldra
a reply to: DeathSlayer
That people in Florida who commit crimes can be stupid? It is not justice of any kind to be eaten by an alligator for attempted burglary.

True.I am not thinking it is a just punishment for the guy to be eaten...but also, why shoot the alligator? The guy wandered into his area.

a reply to: reldra

According to other news coverage they killed the animal because it was very aggresive and prevented recovering the body.

But I guess they would have to kill it anyway to recover the bodyparts that were in it's digestive system. It's the evidence value that would be the most important reason.

Nobody notice the irony it happened on Friday the 13th ?

So the moral of the story ? Get a pet alligator to protect your home and don't rob peoples houses on the 13th

a reply to: DeathSlayer

The moral of the story...If the police don't get you Karma will.

a reply to: rexsblues

Actually, the reason to euthanise the animal, primarily was the immediate risk to the police dive crew, and not the mere fact of its having eaten a prowler/burglar. Also, it would have been necessary to force the animal to endure a painful surgery to have the contents of its stomach removed, to make certain of the location of the burglars mortal remains.

Forensically speaking, the bite marks alone would not have been enough, in a rigorous and exacting investigation into his death, to have identified cause of death, and indeed the culprit, in an absolute and unquestionable manner.

Wait...are they sure it wasn't George Zimmerman?

That was a good hiding place. The cops would have never thought someone was dumb enough to hide down by a pond with crocs in it.

On the surface its hard to say this guy got what he deserved. However, who knows what else this guy has done? Maybe this has been building up for a long time. You have to admit, that is one serious piece of karma that has to balance out somewhere...

He would have likely got a bullet in these parts. Between coyotes and wild hogs there would have been nothing left to find by sun rise.

Reminds me of this picture (when a Florida man tried feeding the crocs)

images.duckduckgo.com...

Makes me want to put up signs outside my property saying "Beware of the crocodiles" and put out some inflatable crocodiles on the front lawn.

originally posted by: reldra
a reply to: DeathSlayer
That people in Florida who commit crimes can be stupid? It is not justice of any kind to be eaten by an alligator for attempted burglary.

You're right, it's not justice, it's an occupational hazard

That gator performed literal gene pool removal service. Somewhere, he just earned his wings.

a reply to: DeathSlayer



Natural selection at work. There is no IQ prerequisite to be a criminal.