WINTER GARDEN, Fla. —
Steven Hamilton, a 71-year-old retired guitarist, was killed by a nearly 12-foot alligator while fishing at Dr. Bradford Memorial Park in Winter Garden on Friday, according to police.
Winter Garden police said Hamilton was taking a picture with a fish he had caught when the alligator pulled him into the pond.
Former bandmates tell WESH 2 he was newly retired from a career in air conditioning and was doing one of his favorite things — fishing.
Hamilton was a well-known figure in the Central Florida music community, having played lead guitar in bands such as “Flashback” and “Bones Brothers.”
Matt Mayfield, who played with Hamilton in “Flashback” about 20 years ago, described him as “a great guitar player.”
“He could play Santana and everything. He was just a joy to be around. In fact, I think the band would sound pretty bad about him,” Mayfield said.
Mayfield shared a photo of the band, pointing out Hamilton in the background, smiling as he always did.
When asked about their favorite songs, Mayfield said, “We just played a lot of that old rock and roll.”
After his time with “Flashback,” Hamilton joined the “Bones Brothers” band, where he played for about 12 years.
Jimmie Smith, a bandmate from “Bones Brothers.”
“I just wanted to say that every once a while you could look over at Steve and he’d be in heaven smiling like he’s playing for 150,000 people,” Smith said.
Smith said while Hamilton was a great guitarist, he was an even greater person.
Joey Briseno, who fished with Hamilton at the same spot where the incident occurred, said he had reported the presence of an aggressive alligator earlier that morning.
“I don’t know if that was the gator, but any time other fish, the gator would come after you. I actually called that morning and reported it,” Briseno said.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said Hamilton was fishing on the shoreline of a retention pond near Lake Apopka when the alligator attacked him.
The medical examiner’s office confirmed Hamilton died from “blunt-force injury of the left leg and drowning.”
Trappers have since removed the alligator believed to have attacked him.
Hamilton’s former bandmates, Mayfield and Smith, said they want the world to remember him for his kindness and the joy he brought to those around him.
“He was just a fantastic guy,” Mayfield said.
FWC officials are conducting a necropsy on the alligator, and results are pending.
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