Sheriff: Teen's Status Changes From Person of Interest to Suspect in Homicide

  Chambers County Sheriff Joe LaRive tells KFDM News he now considers 19 year old Devan Meeks not just a person of interest, but a suspect in the homicide of a Winnie man, and LaRive says he's waiting to find out if Meeks will provide a statement about the murder.

   Meeks is in jail in Muskogee County, Oklahoma on unrelated charges.  Jail administrators sent KFDM News a mugshot of Meeks taken when he was booked into the correctional facility.

Meeks is being held on $25,000 bond for Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle.

His girlfriend, Melina Perry, 16, was with him.

The pair was taken into custody Monday night after Chambers County investigators contacted Muskogee Police and provided descriptions of Meeks and Perry, and a truck authorities believe Meeks took from a relative's home in Sabine Pass.

Chambers County Sheriff Joe LaRive tells KFDM News Perry's status has been changed from missing-endangered to runaway.

No charges have been filed in connection with the homicide of David Davis, 43, of Winnie.

As KFDM News reported Sunday, his body was discovered Sunday morning at his home on Rose Street in Winnie.

A newspaper deliver person noticed smoke coming from the home at about 7 a.m. and found Davis' body just inside the front door. Sheriff LaRive says living room furniture was set on fire to cover up the homicide.

Investigators tell KFDM News someone had stabbed Davis. There was also evidence of blunt force trauma.

Sheriff LaRive tells KFDM News he believes Davis was killed some time between 3:30 and 6 a.m. Sunday.

The previous night, Davis had gotten into a heated argument with Meeks. LaRive says Perry had been living in Davis' home, and Davis objected to Meeks' presence around the house.

"Two of my investigators, one from Jefferson County, and two Texas Rangers are driving up to Muskogee to try to talk with Meeks and Perry," Sheriff LaRive told KFDM News. "We don't know if they'll talk. We don't know if she's part of the killing."

LaRive says investigators hope to bring the pair back to Southeast Texas in the next few days.

Stay with KFDM News for the latest on the investigation.

(Jennifer Heathcock's Tuesday 6 p.m. report)

Investigators from Southeast Texas are expected to arrive tonight in Oklahoma to question a 19 year old murder suspect.

Devan Meeks is behind bars in Muskogee, Oklahoma, charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. Chambers County Sheriff Joe LaRive says Meeks is no longer a person of interest in the murder of 43 year old David Davis, he is a suspect.

Davis' body was found in his home in Winnie Sunday. He'd been stabbed and also suffered what the sheriff calls blunt force trauma.

The sheriff says someone set fire to the living room furniture to cover up the killing.

When investigators got to the home, 16 year old Melina Perry and Meeks were gone. Perry had been living with Davis, and Meeks was her boyfriend. The teenagers were found last night in Oklahoma.

Meeks is behind bars on a 25-thousand dollar bond. For now , he's charged only with stealing a relative's truck in Sabine Pass. It was found in Muskogee last night, along with Meeks and Perry.

Chambers County Sheriff Joe LaRive says two of his investigators, and three other law enforcement officers from this area, hope to question Meeks and Perry, as well as Meek's father who lives in Oklahoma.

Today, relatives of davis placed flowers and left a note to their uncle outside of his home in Winnie.

A woman delivering newspapers Sunday morning saw smoke coming from Davis' house and wanted to alert him.

When she opened the door, she found Davis' body inside. She called for help. Firefighters put out the flames while investigators looked for evidence of what happened.

The sheriff says Davis had an on going disagreement with Meeks, and they had a heated argument Saturday night.

Davis, with blood on his shirt, went to a neighbors home to call for help.

He gave a statement to deputies. Meeks was gone when they arrived.

The sheriff says Chambers County is small and high profile crimes are not common, and he wants to reassure citizens the sheriff's office is working hard to solve the case.

"Everybody knows everybody and Mr. Davis and I grew up together. I've known him my whole life. We really want to find out what happened and get the person responsible brought to justice," says Chambers County Sheriff Joe LaRive.

Sheriff LaRive says investigators might be in Oklahoma for several days. They hope to return with Meeks and Perry.

Perry is being held as a runaway. Relatives say they're happy she was found and that she doesn't appear to be hurt.