Photo: Dallas County Jail
The suspect arrested in the case of the missing monkeys from the Dallas Zoo remains at the Dallas County Jail, but a judge is making it harder for him to do what he "loves."
Davion Irvin was arrested earlier this month and faces six animal cruelty charges, plus two counts of burglary into a building, after reportedly admitting to stealing two emperor tamarin monkeys from the Dallas Zoo. Irvin also admitted to trying to steal a clouded leopard and cutting a hole in the fence of a separate monkey enclosure. These three suspicious events all happened within a month; it remains unclear if Irvin was responsible for the "unusual" death of one of the zoo's endangered vultures.
He's being held on $130,000 bond, but Irvin said he "loved" animals and would do it again should he be released from custody. That's why a judge added a few conditions to his bail, should he post it. Irvin would need to wear an electronic leg monitor, but he would also be required to stay away from the Dallas Zoo and Dallas World Aquarium, where he was spotted by a witness shortly after the missing monkeys were found, which ultimately led to his arrest. Irvin was also ordered to stay away from "any building and/or company engaged in the display or sale of animals," FOX 4 reports.
Because of these events at the Dallas Zoo, they have announced they would be beefing up its security. Security improvements include enhanced perimeter fencing, more security cameras and updated lighting, FOX 4 reports. There'll be an added presence of overnight police patrols as well as an outside security expert to assist. These added measures, however, don't make the zoo feel like a "prison," the zoo's associate director Seane Green said.
"You gotta balance a fun family educational facility and not look like you're literally down in Huntsville," Green said.
The zoo continues to investigate the string of bizarre events that have been happening since January.