FWC investigating after decapitated alligator found along Manatee County road

PARRISH, Fla. - It's not something you would expect to find just lying on the side of the road, but a Manatee County couple did Wednesday night.

They were driving along a country road from Palmetto to Bartow when they spotted a dead 10-foot-long adult alligator, missing its head.

"We thought the worst. We thought that someone had chopped off its head. We were trying to figure out if someone would do that," recalled Heather Morneau.

FWC is now investigating. A spokesman says if someone killed the gator without a license, or found the gator dead and took its head as a trophy, it is illegal either way.

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To report a nuisance alligator or report poaching, call the FWC toll-free hotline: 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286).