Report: Man shot, carved up alligator for meat

Author: CBS12
Published: Updated:

OKEECHOBEE, Fla. (CBS12) Authorities arrested a man who is accused of killing an alligator, throwing the carcass from a bridge and cooking the reptile’s meat.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission says 38-year-old Donald Daggett shot an alligator inside a secured construction site along Lake Okeechobee back in March.

The FWC report states Daggett and his friend, 42-year-old Jack Bunting, worked for the construction company using the site. Authorities say Daggett’s girlfriend at the time was with them and took pictures and video of the men killing and cleaning the alligators.

The woman told deputies with the Martin County Sheriff’s Office that Daggett and Bunting shot the animals with rifles. Both men reportedly placed the alligator carcasses into the back of Daggett’s work truck to take them to another location so they could be cleaned, according to the FWC report. Daggett later threw carcasses from a bridge somewhere in Martin County. The couple went to Bunting’s home where they cooked some of the alligator meat.

DOCUMENT: Alligator hunting it tightly regulated in Florida. See the rules here.

Authorities say the woman gave them all photos and videos of the incident. Deputies were able to find where the killings took place and also the truck used to carry the alligators. The woman also gave them a bag that contained alligator meat.

MCSO conducted DNA tests on the meat and learned that blood inside Daggett’s truck was a match.

Daggett was arrested on different charges before the DNA results confirmed he had the animals in his work truck, investigators said.

 

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