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Gator kills man suspected in string of burglaries

22-year-old was possibly hiding from Florida officers

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Gator kills man suspected in string of burglaries
22-year-old was possibly hiding from Florida officers
A man who may have hidden as officers investigated reports of two suspicious men in a Florida community targeted in recent burglaries was killed by an 11-foot alligator, officers said.Brevard County Sheriff's Maj. Tod Goodyear says 22-year-old Matthew Riggins told his girlfriend he would be in Barefoot Bay to commit burglaries with another suspect. Authorities received calls Nov. 13 about two suspicious men in black walking behind homes and investigated. Riggins was reported missing the next day.Goodyear said sheriff's divers recovered Riggins' body 10 days later in a nearby lake and the 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 reported a second person has been taken into custody.

A man who may have hidden as officers investigated reports of two suspicious men in a Florida community targeted in recent burglaries was killed by an 11-foot alligator, officers said.

Brevard County Sheriff's Maj. Tod Goodyear says 22-year-old Matthew Riggins told his girlfriend he would be in Barefoot Bay to commit burglaries with another suspect. Authorities received calls Nov. 13 about two suspicious men in black walking behind homes and investigated. Riggins was reported missing the next day.

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Goodyear said sheriff's divers recovered Riggins' body 10 days later in a nearby lake and the 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 reported a second person has been taken into custody.