DALLAS — It started with an escaped clouded leopard. Then a vulture showed up dead. Now, in a major development in a string of mysterious incidents at the Dallas Zoo that have captured national attention, a man was arrested after being spotted at the Dallas World Aquarium.
Here’s a timeline of everything that’s happened in the past three weeks.
Friday, Jan. 13: Nova the clouded leopard goes missing, found later on zoo grounds
It’s Friday the 13th in Dallas. During a routine morning head count, zoo staff discovered Nova, the 4-year-old clouded leopard, was not in her enclosure.
About 10:20 a.m., the zoo triggered a "code blue," an alert issued when non-dangerous animals are found missing. The zoo also closed for the day, and an hourslong search commenced.
At an afternoon press conference, Dallas Zoo president Gregg Hudson revealed staff found a “suspicious opening” in her enclosure. Dallas police confirmed for the first time that a criminal investigation was opened, and it was their belief Nova’s habitat was intentionally cut open.
About 4:40 p.m., Nova was spotted on zoo grounds near her home habitat, shortly after the press conference. She was safely secured about 35 minutes later.
Saturday, Jan. 14: Langur monkey habitat found cut open, Nova reunited with sister
Nova was reunited with her sister Luna the morning after she went missing in her newly repaired enclosure.
Late Saturday, Jan. 14, Dallas police announced zoo personnel found and directed investigators to a similar tear in the enclosure of the langur monkey habitat. Police said a “cutting tool” was used to open Nova’s enclosure.
None of the Langur monkeys were harmed or left their habitat. Police said both incidents were being investigated separately as criminal mischief.
Saturday, Jan. 21: Endangered vulture Pin found dead in habitat
A little over a week after Nova’s escape and return, the Zoo announced late Saturday night on Jan. 21 that Pin, one of four endangered lappet-faced vultures, was found dead under suspicious circumstances in his habitat.
The 35-year-old vulture had been at the Dallas Zoo for 33 years.
Monday, Jan. 23: Zoo offers $10K reward
Zoo officials revealed a veterinary team determined Pin was found with “a wound” during a necropsy, or an animal autopsy. Zoo officials have not expanded on these findings, but said his death did not appear to be from natural causes.
Dallas police also began investigating the death of the vulture, and police spokeswoman Kristin Lowman said the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was assisting in the investigation.
The zoo offered a $10,000 reward for anyone who could provide information leading an arrest and indictment in the string of incidents, and said increased security measures have been established on campus.
Monday, Jan. 30: Two emperor tamarin monkeys taken from zoo
The case picked up publicly once again a week later, when two monkeys were reported missing from their enclosure.
About 3:50 p.m. Jan. 30, Dallas police said the habitat for two emperor tamarin monkeys, Bella and Finn, was intentionally cut open, and the tamarins were taken.
According to an arrest-warrant affidavit obtained Friday by The News, the monkeys were seen in their enclosure Sunday, Jan. 29, by a zookeeper about 4:45 p.m. The next day, another zookeeper discovered the fencing of the habitat had been cut open, and that an “unknown suspect” had walked into the exhibit through an unlocked door.
When police arrived, the affidavit says, they found the metal mesh of the enclosure’s door was “cut and bent in a manner and size for a person to both reach into and/or gain access to.”
The zoo was closed Monday through Friday due to inclement weather.
Tuesday, Jan. 31: Emperor tamarin monkeys found in a closet in Lancaster, police release security footage of man at zoo
Tuesday morning, Dallas police released security footage and a photo from the zoo of a man they said detectives wanted to speak to. At the time he was not identified as a person of interested.
The same day, Bella and Finn were found alive in Lancaster by Dallas and Lancaster police. They were located in a home after the family who owns the property and the church next door tipped off police, the family said.
The house where the monkeys were found in a closet is about 20 minutes from the Dallas Zoo. Other animals including cats and pigeons were found in the home, but no arrests were made, documents said. The tip was the first major development in the string of mysterious events.
The family who owns the house said they have noted recent suspicious activity in the structure. They told The News they recognized the man from security footage as someone who attended their church and they saw in the neighborhood.
The tamarins were taken back to the zoo Tuesday night.
Wednesday, Feb. 1: Zoo raises reward to $25K
The zoo announced Wednesday they raised the reward amount to $25K for information leading to an arrest and indictment in the investigations.
Thursday, Feb. 2: Man arrested after being spotted at Dallas Aquarium
An arrest was made in the internationally intriguing case Thursday night, Feb. 2.
Davion Irvin, 24, was booked into the Dallas County jail Thursday night after he was spotted near animal exhibits at the Dallas World Aquarium, according to police. He faces six charges of animal cruelty and a count of burglary in connection with two emperor tamarin monkeys that were taken from their enclosure earlier this week, police said. He faces an additional burglary charge related to a cut habitat for a clouded leopard, and he is also connected to a cut enclosure for langur monkeys, a police spokeswoman said.
At this time, he has not been linked to the death of Pin the vulture, and the investigation into all of the incidents are ongoing. Jail records show Irvin’s bail was set at $25,000. It is unclear if he has an attorney.
Police were tipped off that Irvin was seen Thursday at the Dallas World Aquarium, a separate entity from the zoo. Responding officers saw Irvin board a DART rail train. He was later apprehended, arrested and now faces charges.
Waylon Tate, a spokesperson for the aquarium, said Irvin stopped an employee to ask a question about one of the animals. Tate said the employee “immediately recognized” Irvin from news coverage of the missing monkeys and notified local authorities.
Friday, Feb. 3: Details in investigation revealed
Friday afternoon, The News obtained Irvin’s arrest warrant affidavit.
According to the affidavit, it was “brought to light” that in early January, there were unreported thefts of “feeder fish, water chemicals, fish flake food and training supplies” that were located in the staff-only area of the otter exhibit, according to the affidavit. Police said items found stolen from the otter exhibit were found in the Lancaster house.
Investigators said leading up to when the tamarins were taken, a man later identified as Irvin asked “obscure questions such as practices in housing and moving of animals” — and specifically asked how to care for the emperor tamarin monkeys, the affidavit says.
Police spokeswoman said Kristin Lowman said detectives believed Irvin was going to commit another crime when he was seen at the Dallas World Aquarium. Irvin confessed to “some of the crimes at the zoo,” she said declined to elaborate.
Where are they now?
Harrison Edell, the zoo’s executive vice president for animal care and conservation, gave an update on the condition of all the animals at the center of the mystery Friday.
Nova the clouded leopard is settled into a routine with her sister Luna. The langur monkeys, none of whom left their enclosure, “doing fine and spry despite old age.” The langurs are between 20 and 30 years old he said.
Bella and Finn, the emperor tamarin monkeys, continue to be cared for in quarantine at the zoo hospital before they can be reintroduced to their habitat. They have regained their weight they lost during their time away.
As the zoo continues to monitor those animals, Edell said staff also continues to grieve for Pin the vulture and remains on high alert following the “emotional roller coaster” of the last several weeks.
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