Davion Irvin was arrested on Thursday (February 2) for allegedly stealing two emperor tamarin monkeys from the Dallas zoo.
Police said Davion was caught on surveillance video with a bag of Doritos, strolling through the area where the monkeys were taken.
Davion Irvin is 24 years old, and he is facing six charges of animal cruelty, three counts per monkey for unsuitable habitat, abandonment, and injury to an animal.
According to jail records, his bail was set at $25,000 on Friday (February 3).
Earlier this week, the police released a photo of Davion, and they asked the public to help identify him.
On Thursday (February 2), the police received a tip that the man in the photo was seen at the Dallas World Aquarium near the animal exhibits.
When the police responded, they saw Davion get onto a DART rail, the train system that services the Dallas area.
They later caught up with Davion and took him to headquarters for questioning.
Monday morning (January 30), zoo officials confirmed that the habitat had been “intentionally compromised.”
Police found the two emperor monkeys, Bella and Finn, Tuesday (January 31) unharmed in an empty home outside the city limits.
Police are also investigating some other strange occurrences at the zoo, including:
- On January 14, an intentional cut was made in the langur monkeys’ habitat, and the mesh in the leopard’s enclosure was also purposely cut. No animals were missing or harmed.
- On January 21, a 35-year-old endangered adult lappet-faced vulture name Pin was found dead in its habitat. According to the zoo, a veterinary team found “ an unusual wound and injuries, which pointed to this not being a natural death.
Senior Corporal Brian E. Martinez, a public information officer with the Dallas police, would not confirm or deny if Davion is a suspect in the other zoo incidents.
Watch the WFAA Dallas news report below:
It is unknown if Davion has acquired an attorney, and it is unclear if anyone saw him take the monkeys.
