Florida woman’s arm found in alligator that killed her at lake

One moment she was there, the next she vanished from the pond’s edge. Only her two dogs remained.

A 12-foot alligator attacked a Florida woman as she walked her dogs Friday, authorities said.

Although no one witnessed the attack, the proof — one of the woman’s arms — was found inside the alligator.

Authorities identified the woman as Shizuka Matsuki, 47, of Plantation, Fla.

“Her dogs won’t leave the pond,” Davie Police Maj. Dale Engle said when the search began. “One of her dogs got bit by the gator.”

A witness who had seen a woman walking dogs near the water in the Silver Lakes Rotary Nature Park later noticed the pets barking near the water’s edge.

The woman was nowhere to be seen.

Officers will remain at the park until Matsuki’s body is found, said Ronald Washington, a spokesman for the state wildlife commission.

The area is closed to the public until further notice.

Anthony Anderson, who lives across the street from Matsuki, said she walked her dogs every morning. On Friday, she waved at another neighbor, he said.

Anderson said he was shocked by the news.

Davie resident Trina Gonzalez recalled visiting the park a year ago and seeing a large alligator swim up to the bank after her son threw bread in the water to feed the fish.

“That gator was there in a heartbeat,” she said. “We never went back again.”

ljtrischitta@sunsentinel.com

Twitter @LindaTrischitta

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