Dallas Zoo monkey theft suspect's misdemeanor charges dismissed, court docs show
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Dallas Zoo missing monkeys suspect planned to keep stealing animals, court docs reveal
Police say the man suspected of stealing two monkeys from the Dallas Zoo last week admitted he broke into the zoo at night, stole the monkeys and then took them on a DART train to an abandoned house.
DALLAS - Some of the charges against a man accused of stealing two monkeys from the Dallas Zoo have been dismissed.
Police said Davion Irvin confessed to stealing two emperor tamarin monkeys in January 2023.
Davion Irvin (Source: Dallas Jail)
The animals were later found safe at a vacant home in Lancaster, a few miles south of the zoo.
Irvin is also accused of cutting enclosures in another monkey exhibit and the clouded leopard habitat. One clouded leopard escaped but was later found on the zoo grounds.
According to court documents, Irvin told investigators after his arrest that he planned to steal more animals because he likes animals.
A Dallas County grand jury indicted him for misdemeanor animal cruelty and felony burglary charges.
READ MORE: Dallas Zoo missing monkeys suspect found incompetent to stand trial
Irvin was found incompetent for trial by a court-ordered psychiatrist last summer.
Documents filed earlier this week say that Irving is "mentally ill" and remains incompetent to stand trial.
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Court documents say Irvin has spent the maximum time allowed for punishment in the case in the county jail and that the misdemeanor animal cruelty charges must be dismissed.
A county judge signed off on an order to drop the case on Monday.
Irvin still faces two felony counts of burglary of a building.
Irvin remains in the Dallas County Jail, records show.
Editor's note: A previous