CORAL GABLES, Fla. -- A 16-year-old was arrested Thursday in connection with the killing of a crocodile whose mutilated body was found on the University of Miami campus earlier this month.

A passer-by discovered the headless and tailless body of the 8-foot crocodile on Oct. 1 near a canal where several of the animals live.

Authorities offered a reward of $6,000 for information leading to the person who killed and mutilated the crocodile, and police passed out posters at the school.

Last week, a tip led police to a 16-year-old suspect and an apartment building not far from campus. When they executed a search warrant, officers found DNA evidence that they said was from the slaughtered crocodile, as well as the weapon they believe the teen used to kill it.

"They used knives to kill it," said University of Miami Police Chief David Rivero. "It was a very disturbing killing of the crocodile. It suffered."

"We've had situations where individuals just want to do that," said Jorge Pino of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. "They just want to mutilate these animals to take the head and the tail. They'll use it sometimes as a food source. Sometimes they'll sell it."

Police said as many as five people were present when the crocodile was lured from the water and killed, but only two people actually did the killing.

"I just don't think that at the time when they committed this crime they thought about how serious it was," Rivero said.

Several crocodiles still live in the canal. Students and staff at UM had nicknamed the slain crocodile Donna before it was killed.

A second suspect has not been arrested yet. The 16-year-old who was arrested faces as many as 10 charges, including trespassing and the unlawful killing of an endangered species.