A man was arrested on Thursday in connection with the disappearance of two emperor tamarin monkeys from the Dallas Zoo on Monday, according to The Dallas Morning News.
The news: Davion Irwin, 24 was brought into the Dallas County Jail on Thursday night, facing six charges of animal cruelty, per The Dallas Morning News.
- Irwin, whose picture has been circulating the media in relation to the missing monkeys this week, was recognized by an employee at the Dallas World Aquarium, The Dallas Morning News continues.
- “The suspect stopped an employee to ‘ask questions regarding one or our animals’ and that worker ‘immediately recognized Mr. Irvin from prior reporting on the incident involving the suspected theft of two emperor tamarin monkeys,’” said Waylon Tate, a spokesperson for the aquarium, to NBC News.
Details: Police say that tips from the public led them to the monkeys, Bella and Finn, on Tuesday, who were found in the closet of an empty home, per NBC. The animals were unharmed, the Dallas Zoo said on Twitter.
Emperor tamarin monkeys, Bella and Finn, were so happy to snuggle into their nest sack here at the Zoo last night! Our vet and animal care teams have said, beyond losing a bit of weight, they show no signs of injury. pic.twitter.com/Nf5DXvGxJX
— Dallas Zoo (@DallasZoo) February 1, 2023
Strange incidents at the zoo: Fox Dallas Fort Worth says that police are investigating whether or not Irvin is involved in other criminal cases that have been happening at the Dallas Zoo.
- The monkeys were taken from the zoo only two weeks after a clouded leopard was found roaming free, and a week after a vulture was found dead under unusual circumstances, Deseret News reported.
This image provided by Dallas County Jail shows Davion Irvin. Dallas police say Irvin was arrested, Thursday, Feb. 2, 2023, in the case of the two monkeys that were taken from the Dallas Zoo.
Dallas County Jail via Associated Press