June 9 (UPI) — Divers have found the body of a woman killed by an alligator while walking her dogs in South Florida.
Search teams located the body Friday at Silver Lakes Rotary Nature Park in Davie, Fla., the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, which is investigating the incident, said in a statement on Twitter.
FWC has identified the victim as Shizuka Matsuki, 47, of Plantation, Fla.
“We would like to extend our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Shizuka Matsuki,” FWC said on Twitter.
The commission said a necropsy indicated she was bitten by a 12-foot, 6-inch alligator.
Divers weren’t able to go into the lake to look for the body until the alligator was captured.
Trappers caught the gator Friday and found an arm inside its stomach, the Sun-Sentinel reported.
Davie Police Det. Vivian Gallinal said a witness last saw Matsuki walking her dogs near the water Friday morning. One dog was wounded.
A witness called police after seeing Matsuki walking the dogs initially and then seeing only the dogs barking.
A spokeswoman for Broward County Animal and Care and Adoption told Local 10 News it took possession of three dogs from the scene.
Residents told the Sun-Sentinel they have complained about alligators at the park.
Jeff Polhman, Davie’s assistant director of parks, said trappers had been hired in the past 18 to 24 months to capture the alligator, but the gator had eluded the traps.
