UPDATED: Reward Offered In Poaching And Mutilation Of Columbia County Alligator

***3:30 p.m. Update August 25***

Evans, Ga—There is a reward for the arrest of whoever mutilated an alligator in Evans.

‘Big Boy’ had taken up residence in a pond off Washington Road, a few months ago. His carcass was found floating in the pond on Monday.

All told, the reward is up to $3,500: $2,500 of that comes from the Humane Society, $100 from the Georgie Department of Natural Resources, $500 comes from Mike Hall, of Hall and Hall and Associates, and the First Saturday Crew of Augusta has contributed $1,200 in money and gift certificates…

Hall tells WJBF News Channel 6 he hopes the reward will be enough motivation to bring whoever killed the alligator to justice.

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Evans, GA—Donnie Brown, Owner, Brown and Feed Seed:  “See the, the grass drug down?”

This is the suspected path the poachers took…late one of the past few nights, they dragged the massive 200 pound alligator out of the water, then slaughtered it.

Cpl. Brian Hobbins, Dept. of Natural Resources:  “Only half of the body was left, the head had been cut off from the front legs up and the tail from the back legs back.  So I mean it was pretty gruesome.  You know they took some type of saw and basically just cut it into thirds and left a third of it here.”

This carcass of the alligator…better known as ‘Big Boy’ is what employees at Brown Feed and Feed, found Monday morning.

Brown: “Everybody liked the alligator, I don’t know why somebody would do this.”

As soon as he saw ‘Big Boy’s’ remains, Donnie Brown, the owner of Brown Feed and Seed, called the Department of Natural Resources.

Cpl. Hobbins: “You know somebody decided they wanted to get them a trophy I guess. But, I mean how, what kind of story are you going to tell of a trophy when you snuck into somebody’s pond and you know basically killed a pet alligator.”

With no leads, and no traces of blood, investigators and Mr. Brown are at a standstill. Looking to the public for some much needed help.

Brown: “Somebody will probably brag about it someday and that’s probably how we’ll catch them.”

Poaching is illegal and can carry thousands of dollars in fines.  If you have any information on who may have done this, call DNR at 1-800-241-4013, you can remain anonymous and you’re eligible for a reward.