Winter Garden police say 71‑year‑old retired guitarist Steven Hamilton died after a nearly 12‑foot alligator pulled him into a retention pond near Lake Apopka on Friday, an incident that has shocked the Central Florida music community.
According to WESH, Hamilton was taking a photo of a fish he had just caught when the alligator seized him, dragging him underwater. Firefighters later recovered his body from the water, and the Medical Examiner’s Office determined the cause of death to be blunt‑force injury to his left leg and drowning, ruling the incident an accident.
Hamilton, a well‑known figure in the local music scene, had recently retired from a career in air‑conditioning and spent his free time fishing. Former bandmates recalled his talent and kindness: Matt Mayfield, who played with Hamilton in the band “Flashback,” called him “a great guitar player” who could play Santana, while Jimmie Smith of the “Bones Brothers” said, “He was a great guitarist, but an even greater person.”
Neighbors reported that an aggressive alligator had been seen in the area earlier that morning. Joey Briseno, who fished with Hamilton at the same spot, said he called the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to report the animal before the attack.
FWC trappers responded quickly, killing the alligator believed to have attacked Hamilton and removing it from the water. The agency is conducting a necropsy on the animal, with results pending.
In a nearby Oakland community along Lake Apopka, resident Randy Forbes described a separate incident in which nuisance trappers removed two alligators from his dock after one repeatedly followed him and his wife. The larger of the two measured 11 feet, 1 inch, and the smaller 8 feet, 10 inches. Forbes expressed concern that some alligators may be losing their natural fear of humans, possibly due to feeding from public docks.
Police are investigating the fatal attack jointly with FWC, and a cross now marks the spot where Hamilton died. A memorial near the site continues to grow as community members pay tribute.
What’s next: The FWC necropsy will determine whether the removed alligator carried any diseases, and officials say they will continue monitoring alligator activity around public fishing areas. Residents are urged to report aggressive wildlife sightings promptly.
