This is the finest bit of weird news I’ve seen in forever, featuring a giant alligator, a missing miniature horse and other bizarre ingredients, all adding up to deliciously gonzo weird news.
Strangely, this story doesn’t happen in Florida, despite the monstrous alligator.
And the woman who slayed the beast, Judy Cochran, is actually a great-grandmother and the new mayor of her town.
Here’s the setup: years after her miniature horse went missing three years ago. Prime suspect? This giant alligator.
Except you can only hunt alligators in a 20-day window in September, and this was a big, big beast.
So she called in a professional, who tried all sorts of baited hooks this Godzilla-thing ignored, including pork liver.
Here’s the first bit that gives me joy: The bait that actually worked was a “well-seasoned raccoon.”
Cochran was at work in city hall when the gator got hooked, so the pro had to keep the beast on the hook until she finished up the for the day, grabbed her rifle and avenged her miniature horse with a single shot.
The alligator won’t go to waste. It’s head and tail are headed to the taxidermist, while the hide will turn into boots and the meat will get eaten.
Not sure if you can barbeque gator or not. Guess we’ll find out.
The Red Pen of Doom 