A Florida man celebrated for his lifelong devotion to reptiles died on Aug. 7, 2026, when he was struck by a vehicle on State Route 266 in rural Arizona. Ed Cassano, 81, had stopped with a childhood friend approximately 32 miles southwest of Safford to look at a snake when the collision occurred, according to the Arizona Department of Public Safety.
Ricky Finch, 57, of Safford, Ariz., contacted law enforcement three days later and surrendered outside his Graham County home. Authorities arrested Finch on felony counts of fleeing an accident scene where a fatality occurred. Cassano’s body was discovered lying in the roadway. Investigators say Finch drove away from the scene in a white Ford Fusion.
Television Fame and a House Full of Snakes
The victim gained national recognition through his 2010 appearance on “Fatal Attractions,” an Animal Planet documentary series that profiled individuals who kept exotic and dangerous animals in their homes. Cassano shared his residence with 40 snakes at the time. He told producers that stepping into a cage containing venomous reptiles still triggered an adrenaline rush despite his decades of experience.
Cassano’s collection included a ball python he acquired during the 1970s and maintained for roughly 50 years. The devoted “herper” — a term for those who seek out reptiles and amphibians — retained every creature in his care for its entire lifespan. His international wildlife pursuits took him to Costa Rica, where he sought out vipers.
During trips to Arizona, Cassano would photograph dozens of western diamondback rattlesnakes during individual outings, meticulously recording each encounter. Without a smartphone, he maintained a handwritten notebook containing GPS coordinates of locations he had visited across North America’s wildest terrain.
The Man Who Shaped a Protégé’s Career
Rhett Stanberry, a wildlife professional who performs python removal and venomous reptile capture work for government agencies in Florida, first encountered Cassano approximately 15 years ago. Stanberry and his wife run a nonprofit wildlife rescue. The younger man credits Cassano with transforming nearly every dimension of his career and personal journey.
Cassano assisted Stanberry in obtaining his venomous snake handling license in Florida, provided instruction in wildlife photography, and accompanied him on his first herping expedition beyond his home state when the pair traveled to Arizona in 2013. Stanberry described Cassano as his closest companion, guide and paternal role model whose dependability was unwavering, saying Cassano changed the entire trajectory of his life.
The deceased is survived by two daughters, Jeanette and Annmarie, his sister Denise Gomez and his brother Robert Gomez Stanberry. Stanberry recalled Cassano’s dedication to his daughters, calling him a proud “girl dad.” “He was probably the single most caring and compassionate person towards wildlife that I’ve ever known in my entire life,” Stanberry said.
Cassano’s favorite animals were his Airedale Terriers, Stanberry noted.
Ensuring His Collection’s Future
Before his death, Cassano drafted a will designating recipients for each animal in his extensive collection. Many of his reptiles will transfer to Stanberry’s care — an outcome that honors the connection between teacher and student built on mutual respect for wildlife. Cassano’s holdings included several of the world’s biggest and most formidable venomous serpents kept by private collectors.
Continuing the Mission
Stanberry plans to continue the wildlife conservation efforts Cassano instilled in him, including future trips to the Arizona desert the two explored together repeatedly over the years. The arid, sun-scorched terrain of southeastern Arizona held profound meaning for Cassano, who journeyed there consistently in pursuit of western diamondbacks and other reptile species native to the region. For Stanberry, returning represents both a personal commitment and homage to the individual who introduced him to that environment.
A man who navigated the perils of handling venomous snakes with practiced expertise throughout his lifetime ultimately lost his life to an unanticipated danger on the highway. The father of two had spent decades seeking wildlife across remote locations, only to meet a fatal end while doing what he loved most — observing a snake beside a lonely stretch of Arizona road.
