The man suspected of stealing two emperor tamarin monkeys from Dallas Zoo and keeping them in an abandoned house has been apprehended. The two monkeys were reported missing from the Dallas Zoo on January 30, 2023. The next day, Dallas police announced that the animals were found alive in an abandoned home in Lancaster and returned to the zoo.
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Davion Irvin
Two tamarin monkeys
Davion Irvin
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The monkeys were found shortly after Dallas Police Department released a photo of a person of interest in the bizarre case.
The suspect, who was initially wanted for questioning, was apprehended on Thursday, February 2nd, 2023 while boarding a Dallas Area Rapid Transit train. He was identified as Davion Irvin, 24. According to CBC News, Irvin returned to the zoo, where he is accused of stealing the monkeys, and stopped an employee "to ask questions regarding one of their animals." According to a police affidavit, Irvin asked the zoo worker to teach him "means and ways to catch animals."
The employee quickly recognized Irvin as the man suspected of theft of the two emperor tamarin monkeys and called the police. The affidavit also stated that authorities had also used facial recognition programs to identify Mr. Irvin, who police said was never an employee of the zoo.
A motive for the theft is still under investigation. Davion Irvin is facing six counts of animal cruelty and one count of burglary charges. According to CBS News, Irvin has also been linked to other incidents, including the cutting of holes in the habitats of clouded leopards and langur monkeys at the Dallas Zoo.
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