By Donna Hales
Phoenix Staff Writer
July 09, 2008 12:07 am
—
A 19-year-old identified as a “person of interest” in a weekend homicide in Texas was taken into police custody here Monday night.
Devan Meeks of Sabine Pass, Texas, and Melina Nicole Perry, 16, of Winnie, Texas, were taken into custody without incident by Muskogee Police officer Max Oden about 7:30 p.m.
The couple was walking down Broadway near the Armstrong Bank drive-in off 12th Street, Oden said.
She was taken to a juvenile facility, and he was taken to the Muskogee County/City Detention Facility, Muskogee Police Sgt. Greg Martin said.
Meeks is being held for Jefferson County, Texas, authorities for alleged unauthorized use of a vehicle. He is wanted for questioning in the Sunday death of David Davis, 43, of Winnie, Texas, authorities said.
The Port Arthur (Texas) News, a CNHI newspaper, reported Perry is Meeks’ girlfriend. She had not been seen or heard from since the Davis homicide. Davis was caring for Perry, who is the daughter of his best friend, who died earlier, police said.
Texas police believe Davis and Perry were in an ongoing disagreement, and Davis did not want Meeks hanging around the house, the Texas newspaper said.
The newspaper also reported information received after Davis’ homicide led investigators to believe Perry’s life might also be in danger. Her disappearance was listed on the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children Web site.
Davis’ body was discovered after a newspaper delivery person noticed smoke coming from his Winnie residence and attempted to make contact with him. At that time, the lifeless body of Davis was found just inside the door, The Port Arthur News reported.
Texas authorities told Mary Meaux of The Port Arthur News on Monday afternoon that Davis was stabbed twice in the back and three times in the chest, with one of the stab wounds in the chest going into the aorta.
Meeks is a suspect in the theft of a family member’s gray 2000 Chevrolet half-ton single-cab truck, stolen out of Port Arthur.
Muskogee police recovered the vehicle on 35th and Brewer streets and “towed it in for Texas authorities,” Martin said.
Meeks and Perry were 20 minutes ahead of police on foot when the vehicle was found, Martin said.
Oden said Meeks and Perry had dyed their hair black. He said when made eye contact with them, the couple knew it was over and made no move to escape arrest.
Whoever killed Davis is believed to have set a “furniture fire” in the Davis house before leaving.
Meeks has family ties in Muskogee, North Dakota and Florida, Texas authorities told police, who were put on an alert to watch for Meeks and Perry.
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Meeks
Perry