Crocodile Had 6 Pairs of Shoes and a Missing Man Inside

Quick Take

• Authorities were tipped off by one crocodile behavior that is completely normal for the species, which suggested it had recently consumed a large meal. See the telltale behavior →
• Retrieving the crocodile required a maneuver so dangerous that one wrong move could have ended both the operation and the investigators. See the dangerous retrieval →
• The autopsy uncovered an unexpected discovery that investigators are still trying to explain. Discover the disturbing findings →

Along the shores of the Komati River, crocodiles are at the top of the food chain. This is where a recent missing persons case became a grim recovery operation. When a local man was washed away by rising floodwaters, he ended up in the river’s crocodile-infested waters. And as authorities searched for any signs of him, they discovered an apex predator had found him first. Now, local police are investigating whether the crocodile may have been involved in other missing-person cases.

A 1,100-Pound Crocodile Was Found Near the Abandoned Vehicle

In April, 59-year-old Gabriel Batista, the owner of the Border Country Inn, went missing. He was last seen in his Ford Ranger, which became stranded as floodwaters rose at a local river crossing. The vehicle was swept downriver, and Batista disappeared after being pushed from the truck. The local rescue team spent roughly one week searching for him before noticing a crocodile perched on the riverbank near Batista’s last known appearance.

According to the South African Police Service, the crocodile was found only 150 meters, or almost 500 feet, from Batista’s last known location. It appeared that the crocodile was sunbathing, which it typically does after a large meal. Because of a crocodile’s slow digestive system, sunlight and heat are needed to help move food through its digestive tract. With this information, authorities suspected that the 15-foot crocodile may have eaten the man.

Remains Were Found In the Crocodile’s Stomach

In order to autopsy the crocodile, authorities needed to airlift it from its spot on the riverbank. The operation was risky due to the Komati River’s crocodile-infested waters, and the crocodile had to be euthanized first. Once this was done, trained personnel descended from a helicopter on a rope to attach it to the animal. It was then carefully flown to the autopsy location.

DNA analysis has since confirmed that the human remains found in the crocodile belonged to Gabriel Batista. However, that’s not all the medical team discovered. Along with the remains, six pairs of shoes were also found in the crocodile’s stomach. As of June 2026, authorities have not confirmed whether the six pairs of shoes found in the crocodile’s stomach are linked to other missing persons.