LIVINGSTON, Texas — Polk County Sheriff’s Office investigators named Don Steven McDougal as the “main person of interest” in the disappearance of 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham. Audrii went missing early Thursday morning in southern Polk County.
Texas Department of Public Safety Lieutenant Greg Cummings, speaking on behalf of Polk County Sheriff Byron Lyons and District Attorney Shelly Sitton, told reporters they have not yet found Audrii, who has been missing since February 15. He confirmed rumors that investigators found a backpack that is consistent with one belonging to Audrii near the Lake Livingston Dam, where search operations were centered on Friday.
Cummings identified 42-year-old Livingston resident Don Steven McDougal as a “main person of interest” in Audrii’s disappearance. He added that McDougal was arrested Friday night on an unrelated aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charge.
Breitbart Texas learned from a source familiar with the crime that McDougal allegedly stabbed David Stanley with a knife on August 19, 2023. No bond has been set on the assault charge.
Witnesses reported seeing McDougal at the U.S. 59 Trinity River Bridge on Saturday afternoon shortly before the press conference. He was said to be wearing stripes, shorts, and boots and was in shackles. Witnesses did not see exactly what McDougal was doing with police as they were asked to leave the area under the bridge.
Breitbart Texas asked Lt. Cummings why McDougal was at the bridge and what he was doing.
“That’s part of our ongoing investigation right now,” Cummings responded. “I don’t want to get into those investigative efforts, but they’re absolutely ongoing.”
Cummings maintained they are still holding out hope that Audrii may be returned safely to her family but said, “Based on the evidence we’ve got, we understand foul play is a factor as well.”
Bob Price is the Breitbart Texas-Border team’s associate editor and senior news contributor. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Price is a regular panelist on Fox 26 Houston’s What’s Your Point? Sunday morning talk show. He also serves as president of Blue Wonder Gun Care Products.
