PALM BAY — — A cleaning crew preparing a foreclosed home for possible resale stepped into a snake pit Tuesday, discovering containers filled with more than 100 snakes — most, but not all, of them dead.
Officials found 17 live snakes in the home at 251 Mayport Ave. They say the homeowner had abandoned the reptiles, which included three-foot-long ball pythons, king snakes and hognose snakes.
The homeowner, Barry Walter, 43, may have been a “hoarder,” according to officials on the scene. A “hoarder” is someone who compulsively collects things — even dangerous or unsanitary items. Also found inside the home were extensive collections of comic books, Star Wars memorabilia and GI Joes.
Walter now faces 122 felony counts of animal cruelty.
“I’ve seen people hoarding animals before, but never anything like this for reptiles,” said Brian Figueroa, spokesman for Brevard County Animal Services.
Figueroa said none of the snakes or other animals were designated species of concern, which would require permits or limitations. Snakes that require permits include the Burmese python or the green anaconda, giant snakes that grow long and can put their prey in suffocating embraces.
“As for the conditions, more than 90 percent of the containers didn’t even have water,” he said. “Some of the carcasses have also been here for more than a month.”
Palm Bay Police booked Walter into the Brevard County Detention Center on Tuesday on a $244,000 bond. He has his first court hearing today.
Walter told police Tuesday he was not a snake breeder, which would require a license to sell certain species.
Got into trouble
PNC Bank filed for foreclosure on the home in February, claiming Walter was behind by $27,000 on his mortgage. Neighbors said they last saw him at the home about March 1
“He said his life had gotten into trouble, and due to medical issues had to move in with his mother,” Officer Sam Ivey said. “As for the house, it’s in foreclosure . . . It’s not livable. To put it mildly, I was disgusted. I’ve been in a lot of houses in 26 years, but I’ve never been in anything like this.”
Animal Services was called to the home at about 8 a.m. Tuesday after a cleaning crew arrived.
“We got up to the door and smelled something real bad,” said Ryan Slingsby, 25, who works for cleaning contractor Inafix. “That was when we saw the dead (python) in the window.”
Slingsby said he has seen dead pets left in foreclosed homes. He put a towel around his face and walked inside.
“We saw all of these containers with the snakes inside,” he said. “There were bags of rats in the refrigerator. This is probably the worst I’ve ever seen.”
Officers wearing gloves and masks were removing the snakes from the home Tuesday morning. All the rotted carcasses were packaged and shipped to the Cocoa landfill, officials said.
In disrepair
Property records show the home was worth $91,000 in 2009, but dropped in value to $56,000 this year. The single-story, two-bedroom home is in disrepair, and a portion of the roof is caved in. City officials said the home would have to be inspected to determine if it is habitable.
In February, Palm Bay’s code enforcement office tried to notify Walter about the condition of wood siding on the home. The city received no response. There were no complaints about animals.
“We were dealing with it from a property maintenance standpoint,” said City Manager Lee Feldman, adding that there is no restriction on reptiles. It would be difficult for city compliance officers to know what is happening inside a private home, he said. “We don’t have the ability to go inside someone’s home.”
Alex Earle, 50, staying with a friend across the street, looked on in horror Tuesday at the stacked containers on the front lawn.
“I used to keep snakes when I was a kid,” Earle said. “If you keep a snake or two, that’s understandable. But this is beyond pets. It’s really just sad.”
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