George Zimmerman threatened to feed an investigator to an alligator, court records say
George Zimmerman, who was acquitted of killing Miami teenager Trayvon Martin in 2012, is facing a misdemeanor stalking charge after he made several threats to a private investigator, including that he would feed him to an alligator, according to court documents.
That capias request, from the Seminole County Sheriff's Office, says Zimmerman texted private investigator Dennis Warren a link to an article that quotes Zimmerman as saying, "I know how to handle people who f--- with me. I have since February 2012."
That's a reference to Feb. 26, 2012, when Zimmerman, a neighborhood watchman in Sanford in Central Florida, shot and killed Trayvon around 7 p.m. as Trayvon returned from a convenience store during halftime of the NBA All-Star Game. He had been staying with his dad, who lived in the neighborhood. Zimmerman said he shot Trayvon in self defense.
Warren told the sheriff's office that Cinemart Productions hired him to find people who might participate in a documentary about Trayvon's life and the night of his death.
Warren said he texted and left a voice mail for Zimmerman on Sept. 21, 2017. He told the sheriff's office that he had no further contact until producer Mike Gasparro told Warren on Dec. 13 that Zimmerman was "extremely agitated" and threatening violence against Gasparro and Warren.
Gasparro told Warren that a Zimmerman text promised, "I'm going to find (Warren) and I'm bringing hell with me," and another that showed Zimmerman's displeasure at Warren contacting his uncle: "Local or former law officer. He's well on his way to the inside of a gator as well. 10-4!"
Three days later, the capias request says, Zimmerman skipped the middle man. He phoned Warren directly 21 times, sent 38 text messages and left seven voice mails in two hours, 27 minutes.
"Answer your phone," Zimmerman texted.
SCSO told Warren to send Zimmerman a single request to stop trying to contact him. The court documents say Zimmerman responded with "No" and "Pursue charges," then texted, "Text me again, I'll show up at your home..."
From Dec. 16 through Christmas Day, the capias request says, Zimmerman called Warren's phone 55 times, texted Warren 67 times, left 36 voice mails and sent 27 e-mails.
The State Attorney's Office for Seminole and Brevard counties said, "An evaluation of the evidence against Zimmerman was conducted by experienced prosecutors who determined they reasonably believe the alleged crime of Stalking F.S. 784.048 (2) (M-1) can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt at trial."
Zimmerman will appear before Judge Mark Herr for arraignment at 9 a.m. May 30.
Since Zimmerman's acquittal, he's had a domestic violence-battery/domestic violence aggravated assault case against him dropped in 2013 and another domestic violence aggravated assault case against him dropped in 2015.
This story was originally published May 7, 2018 at 4:12 PM with the headline "George Zimmerman threatened to feed an investigator to an alligator, court records say."