Holly MatkinTallahassee, FL – Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) K9 Diesel died unexpectedly on Jan. 4, according to his department.
Details regarding his specific cause of death were not released.
The FWC said in a Facebook post honoring K9 Diesel’s service on Jan. 15 that the beloved K9 was “greatly missed.”
“K9 Officer Diesel passed away unexpectedly,” the post read. “Diesel and his handler, Officer Delatorre, made an amazing team and worked many high-profile cases during his lifetime.”
The duo was instrumental in making multiple cases on several vessels and suspects for harvesting undersized lobster and egg-bearing lobster in 2018, the FWC said in a report at the time.
They were able to return the lobster to the water alive due to their intervention, according to the report.
“In 2020 alone, this highly trained and skilled K9 located shell casings in a murder investigation and found evidence in a sea turtle egg poaching case, resulting in arrests,” the FWC said in the Facebook post.
K9 Diesel and Officer Delatorre also located four armed suspects hunting illegally two miles out into the Dupris Wildlife Management Area in May of 2020, according to another FWC report.
The suspects were all cited for hunting during a time when the area was closed.
“Condolences to Officer Delatorre, the K9 Program and staff. R.I.P. Diesel,” the FWC’s post read.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and Officer Delatorre in the loss of K9 Diesel.
Sandy Malone
