The Dallas County District Attorney’s Office says Friday the case against a man accused of stealing monkeys from the Dallas Zoo is not over, though he is now facing fewer charges.
Davion Irvin allegedly admitted to repeatedly breaking into the Dallas Zoo over several days in January 2023, cutting multiple animal enclosures and stealing two emperor tamarin monkeys.
This week, the DA’s office moved to dismiss six misdemeanor charges for "cruelty to non-livestock animals" against Irvin.
Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot declined an on-camera interview, but his office told NBC 5 that they had to dismiss these charges by law.
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Court documents show Irvin has been declared mentally ill and incompetent to stand trial for over a year.
Irvin reportedly said he loved animals and if released from jail, he would steal more.
DALLAS ZOO THEFTS
According to Creuzot’s spokesperson, "The maximum amount of time has lapsed (one year) for Mr. Irvin’s competency to be restored. As his competency has not been restored we, by law, are required to dismiss his misdemeanor cases only."
The cruelty charges were leveled against Irvin for reportedly neglecting the tamarin monkeys, named Bella and Finn, after taking them to a vacant house and not providing them food or water.
However, Texas vs. Davion Irvin is not over. He still faces two felony charges for burglary of a building, the zoo. This case is also considering the defendant’s mental competency, according to online court records. The DA’s office said because the felony cases are still active, they cannot comment.
Leaders at the Dallas Zoo told NBC 5 their focus is not on the criminal case but rather on their ongoing mission to increase security measures on campus.
“This past year, we have worked hard to make enhancements with regards to security to get us to that next level to prevent anything like this from happening again,” said Diana Worden, senior director of safety and security at the Dallas Zoo.
Worden and other leaders have disclosed only a few security measures implemented since the incidents, including installing more than 100 cameras, hiring a professional security firm to patrol the campus day and night and adding or reinforcing fencing along the zoo’s perimeter.
Leaders will not disclose how Irvin was able to break into the zoo after hours.
Worden said they will continue to seek out top-of-the-line technology and resources to keep animals and visitors safe while ensuring visitors have a positive experience.
“I think one of the biggest things I’ve learned from this is none of us, zoos in the country, ever expected anything like this to happen,” she said. “This was completely off of our radar screens.”
