Divers found Matsuki’s body in a lake, while Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials stated that they were able to positively identify the woman from evidence gathered from the necropsy of a 3.8-meter (12.5-foot) alligator that attacked and killed her.
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Authorities started searching for the victim’s body when a passerby reported that he had seen the woman walking two dogs and then noticed the pets alone, barking near the lake at Silver Lakes Rotary Nature Park. Police spotted a gigantic alligator swimming in the area, and when the reptile was captured and investigated, they discovered a woman’s arm inside its stomach.
The South Florida Sun-Sentinal reported that the Isla del Sol Homeowners Association in Plantation had issued an alligator warning to residents in an email, urging them to “exercise caution with our families and pets, mindful that alligators, snakes, and other wildlife may be in the area.” The alert came two days after a 1.8-meter (5.9-foot) gator was spotted and trapped by someone’s front door.
The deadly incident has sparked much controversy on social media: