Young Man Arrested in Florida for Killing 13 Alligators and Posting on Snapchat

Young Man Arrested in Florida for Killing Alligators

Illegal Videos Posted on Snapchat

Florida Protects Wildlife

According to EFE, Florida authorities arrested a 21-year-old man accused of illegally killing at least 13 alligators and posting images of the dead animals on Snapchat.

The detainee was identified as Jacob Latreille, who was captured in Brevard County, in central Florida, following an investigation that included videos shared by his friends.

According to the arrest warrant, one of those friends, identified as 25-year-old Luke Michael Landry, uploaded recordings showing the group capturing and killing the reptiles.

The investigation revealed that Latreille did not act alone. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) confirmed that more suspects are involved in the Florida alligator killing Snapchat case.

Florida Investigates Illegal Alligator Hunting

Arrested in the U.S. for killing 13 alligators and posting their images on Snapchat https://t.co/Uri9DmFgaE

— AlbertoRodNews (@AlbertoRodNews) September 25, 2025

In addition to Latreille, a resident of Mims, authorities issued arrest warrants against Landry, Robert Gage Martin, and Wyat Scott Lowe, all from Titusville.

The wildlife agency reported that the young men hunted and killed alligators in at least two separate incidents between April and May of this year.

The first case took place on April 19, when they captured seven alligators—most with their bare hands—from an airboat.

According to reports, they later killed most of the animals captured that day.

Young Man Arrested in Florida for Killing Alligators and Sharing It

Young Man Arrested in Florida for Killing 13 Alligators and Posting on Snapchat – PHOTO: EFE

In the following days, between April 24 and May 11, the group once again illegally hunted another seven alligators.

During this second episode, they also documented the hunt with photos and videos, which were later shared on social media.

The images show seven dead alligators on ice in a boat, while the suspects posed smiling with another five lifeless animals.

The audiovisual records were key to the judicial investigation that led to Latreille’s arrest in the Florida alligator killing Snapchat case.

FWC Condemns Illegal Alligator Hunting in Florida

Ver esta publicación en Instagram

Una publicación compartida por ZonaCero (@zonacerooficial)

According to the court affidavit, one of the videos shows Latreille driving the boat at night.

In the footage, Latreille steered toward the alligators and gave orders to his companions to capture them.

The FWC stressed that such behavior not only violates Florida law but also poses a risk to wildlife and public safety.

“Illegally handling and capturing wildlife is a serious violation of Florida law,” the agency said in a statement.

Florida Protects Wildlife and Alligators

The agency added that it takes any violation against fauna very seriously, especially when involving species as emblematic as the alligator.

Latreille is not new to authorities, having been detained at least four times previously for other incidents.

The three accomplices identified remain at large, but authorities expect to execute the arrest warrants in the coming days.

The Florida alligator killing Snapchat case has generated outrage in the state, where alligator hunting is strictly regulated under special licenses.

Alligators: A Key Species in Florida

Florida hosts one of the largest alligator populations in the country and considers it a symbol of its wildlife.

The state is home to about 20% of the national American alligator population, with an estimated 1.25 million specimens.

Nationwide, the alligator population reaches five million, according to Defenders of Wildlife.

The existence of such a large population does not eliminate the dangers of illegal hunting, which threatens Florida’s ecological balance.