A Houston police officer shot and killed an alligator after it was found Tuesday with the remains of a missing woman in its mouth, officials said.
Houston officers were searching for the woman, believed to be in her 60s, Tuesday morning when they discovered the animal in Horsepen Bayou outside Houston.
A police officer then shot the alligator “to prevent it from causing further damage to the remains” in its mouth, Houston police said.
Police have recovered the woman’s remains, authorities said, and are awaiting autopsy results to determine the cause of death.
It’s unclear whether the alligator killed the woman or if she was already dead when it fell on her, police said.
The incident remains under investigation.
The woman’s identity is pending verification by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.