Florida Wildlife Possession Case
Witnesses spotted the reptile near Disney World, license-plate readers tracked the vehicle, and officers eventually recovered the carcass after the men allegedly sought a taxidermist.
Road trip and arrests: April 2026 | Bond: $5,000 each | Last verified status: awaiting court resolution
Summary
A road trip through Central Florida drew repeated attention because a dead alligator was strapped to the top of the travelers’ car.
Witnesses first reported the unusual vehicle near Walt Disney World. Police license-plate readers then tracked the car as it moved through other communities.
Authorities said the travelers covered the alligator with a white sheet after several people warned them that possession of the carcass was illegal.
A Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officer stopped the vehicle in Melbourne at approximately 7 p.m.
The occupants were identified as Anthony Buhl, 56, and March Wallin Chadwick, 57. Both reportedly admitted taking the road-killed animal because they wanted to bring it to a taxidermist.
The men had called an FWC dispatcher and claimed they had gotten rid of the alligator. Officers nevertheless recovered the carcass.
Court records did not identify the animal’s size, weight or cause of death.
Buhl and Chadwick were charged with a felony offense covering illegal killing, possession or capture of alligators and other crocodilians.
Each posted $5,000 bond. Their unusual professional and personal backgrounds attracted attention, but those biographies are not evidence of guilt.
A search for later public reporting did not reveal a verified final disposition.
1. The Crime
The allegation centers on unauthorized possession and transport of a protected wildlife carcass.
Florida tightly regulates alligator hunting, possession and transfer. Finding a dead animal on a road does not automatically grant ownership.
The reported warnings and attempt to cover the carcass could be relevant to whether the defendants knew possession was unlawful.
2. Crime Location
The vehicle was seen near Walt Disney World and tracked across Central Florida.
An FWC officer stopped the car in Melbourne, where the investigation culminated.
3. Date and Time of the Crime
- Early April 2026Witnesses reported a dead alligator strapped to the vehicle.
- During the road tripThe carcass was covered with a white sheet after warnings from other people.
- Around 7 p.m.An FWC officer stopped the vehicle in Melbourne.
- April 2026Buhl and Chadwick posted $5,000 bond each.
- April 28, 2026The men were scheduled for arraignment.
- July 30, 2026No reliable final disposition had been found.
4. Police Department
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission handled the wildlife investigation.
License-plate-reader information and witness reports helped officers locate the vehicle.
5. Suspect Name
The defendants are Anthony Buhl and March Wallin Chadwick.
6. Suspect Age
Buhl was 56 and Chadwick was 57.
7. Charges
| Charge or Issue | Classification | Reported Basis | Outcome or Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illegal killing, possession or capture of alligator or crocodilian | Felony allegation | The men allegedly transported a dead alligator without authorization. | Pending in the last verified reporting |
8. Bond Amount
Buhl and Chadwick each posted $5,000 bond.
9. Conviction
No conviction was located for either defendant in this case.
10. Sentence
No sentence had been imposed in the last verified public reporting.
11. Outcome
FWC recovered the alligator carcass.
The defendants were released on bond and ordered to appear in court.
12. Victim
The protected wildlife resource and the State of Florida were the direct interests affected.
The alligator’s cause of death was not disclosed, so this article does not claim that the defendants killed it.
The animal had no publicly reported name.
The alligator’s age was not reported.
Why Roadkill Is Not Automatically Free Property
Wildlife remains subject to conservation rules after death, particularly when the species is regulated.
People who find a protected animal should contact wildlife authorities before moving, keeping or transporting the carcass.
Sources
Verified case chronology
A road trip through Central Florida drew repeated attention because a dead alligator was strapped to the top of the travelers’ car. Witnesses first reported the unusual vehicle near Walt Disney World. Police license-plate readers then tracked the car as it moved through other communities. Authorities said the travelers covered the alligator with a white sheet after several people warned them that possession of the carcass was illegal. A Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officer stopped the vehicle in Melbourne at approximately 7 p.m. The occupants were identified as Anthony Buhl, 56, and March Wallin Chadwick, 57. Both reportedly admitted taking the road-killed animal because they wanted to bring it to a taxidermist. The men had called an FWC dispatcher and claimed they had gotten rid of the alligator. Officers nevertheless recovered the carcass. Court records did not identify the animal’s size, weight or cause of death. Buhl and Chadwick were charged with a felony offense covering illegal killing, possession or capture of alligators and other crocodilians. Each posted $5,000 bond. Their unusual professional and personal backgrounds attracted attention, but those biographies are not evidence of guilt. A search for later public reporting did not reveal a verified final disposition.
The publication date used for this cleaned article is 2026-04-04. That date is tied to the following case event: April 4, 2026 arrest after wildlife officers stopped the vehicle carrying the dead alligator. This replaces the old import timestamp, which reflected when the article package was created rather than when the underlying crime or later substantive case development actually occurred.
Charges, custody and current posture
The record identifies Anthony Buhl and March Wallin Chadwick (56 and 57) in connection with events reported at the location identified in the case record. The principal reported proceeding is Illegal killing, possession or capture of alligator or other crocodilian. The custody, bond or financial information reported for the case is $5,000 each. The source record establishes a completed plea or sentence rather than merely an accusation.
The latest verified posture through August 11, 2026 is: Anthony Buhl and March Chadwick were arrested on wildlife-possession allegations and posted bond; no later reliable final plea, dismissal or sentence was located. That status controls the wording of the headline and body. A scheduled arraignment, restitution hearing, trial date or possible future dismissal is not treated as if it already happened. Likewise, a bond amount is not presented as a sentence, and a diversion agreement is not called a conviction.
What the case-specific record shows
Those details are the factual anchors for this record. They identify the person, location, conduct, evidence described by investigators or witnesses, and the procedural action actually completed. the update does not add a generic statute summary merely to increase length, and it does not borrow facts from other cases with a similar unusual object, restaurant, store, vehicle or social-media angle.
Source record and reporting limits
The sources below were reviewed for this specific case and for a later disposition. Where the source set did not reveal a later plea, dismissal, verdict or sentence, the article stops at the last verified event instead of assuming the case remained unchanged forever or inventing an outcome. Where a later disposition was found, the older arrest-stage language is superseded by that result.
Disclaimer: This article summarizes case-specific public records and reporting available through August 11, 2026. Charges and police allegations remain allegations unless a valid plea or court judgment establishes guilt. The article date reflects the verified crime or later substantive case event described above.
