Missing monkeys from the Dallas Zoo were found in a closet of an abandoned home, and local police took a man they believe is responsible into custody at the Dallas World Aquarium, near other animal exhibits.
Davion Irvin, 24, was arrested Thursday and charged with six counts of animal cruelty, as police continue to investigate a series of suspicious events over the last month.
Dallas police received a tip that Irvin was at the aquarium. When officers arrived, he was seen getting on a DART train before he was taken into custody and questioned at the Jack Evans Police Headquarters.
DALLAS ZOO INCREASES REWARD TO $25,000 FOR INFORMATION ON MONKEY THEFTS, OTHER BIZARRE INCIDENTS
This photo provided by the Dallas Zoo shows emperor tamarin monkeys Bella and Finn at the zoo on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023. The disappearance Monday, Jan. 30, 2023, of the two monkeys and the discovery that their enclosure had been cut were the latest in a string of odd events at the zoo over the last few weeks, which has included other cut fences, the escape of a small leopard and the suspicious death of an endangered vulture. The two small monkeys, who were found in an abandoned house Tuesday, Jan. 31, after being taken from the Dallas Zoo, had lost a bit of weight during their ordeal but show no signs of injury, the zoo said Wednesday. (Dallas Zoo via AP)
(Dallas Zoo via AP)
Davion Irvin, 24, was arrested Thursday and charged with six counts of animal cruelty
The two emperor tamarin monkeys appeared to have been purposely taken from the zoo on Monday, according to police, which said their enclosure was “intentionally” cut.
The missing monkeys were found in an empty home in the nearby city of Lancaster, Texas, and returned to the zoo without any injuries on Wednesday.
Police posted a picture of a man, who was later identified as Irvin, and asked the public for help. Tips helped lead officers to the abandoned home and then to Irvin himself.
“The preliminary investigation and help from the public identified Irvin as the man Dallas Police were looking to speak with regarding the missing monkeys at the Dallas Zoo,” police said in a statement after the arrest.
Dallas Police, with the help of the Lancaster Police Department, located the two missing tamarin monkeys from the Dallas Zoo at an abandoned home in Lancaster.
(Dallas Police Department)
The missing monkeys were the latest in a string of suspicious events at the Dallas Zoo over the last month.
There were similar “intentional” cuts made earlier to enclosures that housed Nova, a clouded leopard, and langur monkeys.
DALLAS ZOO ASKS POLICE TO INVESTIGATE ‘UNUSUAL’ DEATH OF ENDANGERED VULTURE
Nova was quickly found and returned, and all of the langur monkeys were accounted for.
Last Friday, an endangered vulture was found dead in its habitat from an “unusual wound.”
In this undated image provided by the Dallas Zoo, a clouded leopard named Nova rests on a tree limb in an enclosure.
(Dallas Zoo via AP)
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The investigation into all cases at the zoo are ongoing, and further charges are possible, according to police.
Irvin was taken to the Dallas County Jail and held on $25,000 bond.
