$7,500 Reward Offered for Suspect Responsible for Theft of Rare Gator and Death of 43 Others

BUSHNELL, Fla. — Officials with the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, Crimeline, and Gatorland have partnered up to offer a large reward to anyone who can provide information that will lead to the capture of the suspect or suspects responsible for the theft of a rare white alligator, arson, and the death of 43 other gators that occurred at a Bushnell reptile rescue last Friday.

A reward of up to $7,500 is being offered in order to bring the guilty parties to who broke into the rescue and stole the leucistic alligator named “Snowball” and then set the building ablaze killing 43 other gators that were still in the building.

Anyone with information about this incident or who has seen an alligator with similar markings as the one pictured above is asked to contact Sumter County Sheriff’s Detective Chris Merritt at (352) 793-2621.