Florida burglary suspect eaten by alligator after fleeing police

A 22-year-old man suspected of burglarising homes in Florida drowned and was partially eaten by an alligator after he waded into a lake, apparently to avoid detection by police officers pursuing him.

An autopsy on the man, Matthew Riggins of Palm Bay, determined that he drowned in November after an apparent alligator attack.

A necropsy on the alligator revealed parts of the man's body in the 3m-long reptile's stomach, according to a report released this week by the Brevard County Sheriff's Office.

Sheriff’s deputies chased Riggins and another suspect with dogs and a helicopter on November 13th after residents in the Barefoot Bay community reported two men walking behind houses, authorities said.

No suspects were caught that night. Riggins was reported missing by his family when he did not return home, according to the sheriff's report. His body was found 10 days later floating in a lake, with an aggressive gator standing guard, sheriff's Major Tod Goodyear said.

“I believe he was hiding,” he said of how Riggins ended up in the lake. “With the dogs out there, it’s not a bad idea to go into the water.”

Goodyear said Riggins had told his girlfriend by telephone that he would be robbing homes the evening of November 13th and later told her he was being chased by police.

Reuters