Person of interest lives in camper behind missing Audrii Cunningham family's home, investigators say (2024)

LIVINGSTON, Texas — UPDATE: The body of Audrii Cunningham was found on Tuesday, Feb. 20 in the Trinity River near US-59.Read more here.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: The search for Audrii Cunningham entered its fifth day on Monday.

As law enforcement continued its search efforts, they announced an increased reward of $10,000 for information leading to the whereabouts of the 11-year-old who went missing Thursday at about 6:45 a.m.

On Monday, investigators said they believe the main person of interest in Audrii's disappearance -- identified as Don Steven McDougal, 42 -- was the last person to see her.

"Investigators have given McDougal, who was arrested Friday on an unrelated charge, several opportunities to cooperate," Lt. Bruce Cummings with the Texas Department of Public Safety said Monday. "And we remain hopeful that he will begin helping in this case."

McDougal admitted to leaving the house Thursday morning with Audrii but is not saying if she made it to the bus stop, Polk County Sheriff Byron Lyons said. The sheriff said there have been some occasions where McDougal has worked with investigators and took them to certain locations, but he hasn't confessed to anything.

We also learned Monday that McDougal, who Lyons said is a friend of the family, lives in a camper behind the home where Audrii lives with her father and other family members. Lyons said he would occasionally take Audrii to the bus stop or even drive her to school if she missed the bus.

McDougal was arrested and booked into the Polk County Jail late Friday night on an unrelated aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charge. He has not been charged in Audrii's disappearance.

"Yes, he may have been the last person with her, and yes she is missing at this time, but we want to make for sure that whatever evidence that we collected and placed on an affidavit today will hold up in court later," Lyons said. "It does us no good to prematurely charge him now and it gets thrown out of court because we were moving too fast. So please, understand, as we move carefully through this because Audrii deserves this. She deserves us taking our time."

McDougal's vehicle, a dark blue Chevrolet Suburban, is in police custody.

Cummings said video from the public showing McDougal's vehicle on the road has been helpful, but they're asking for more. Cummings is asking the public to check their cameras for any video taken on Thursday between 5:30 a.m. and 8 a.m. on FM 3126 in Livingston, Texas.

"We're trying to piece together a timeline of where he's been and the travel that he took, the roadways that he took," Lyons said. "So this area is just one that's in particular that we can say they we know that he was in."

Search efforts were initially focused on a southern area of Lake Livingston on Friday and Texas EquuSearch was seen looking for her in an area near 59 and the Trinity River on Saturday.

The Polk County Sheriff’s Department said the Trinity River boat ramp off I-69 closed Monday as the search continued.

On Monday, Texas DPS asked the public to stay away from Scenic Loop FM 3277 because it was a "potential point of interest in this investigation."

"We've got a lot of people driving down there," Cummings said. "Please stay away. Let the investigators do what they are doing and our volunteers, so that we can bring Audrii home."

What we know right now

The Texas DPS, Texas Rangers, San Jacinto County Sheriff's Office, the Polk County Sheriff's Office and the FBI are all working together to bring Audrii home safely.

Audrii has blonde hair and blue eyes. She's about 4 feet and 1 inch tall and weighs about 75 pounds. She was wearing a black hoodie with white lettering, a camo backpack, black pants, and black high-top tennis shoes the last time she was seen.

Investigators ask anyone with information on Audrii's disappearance to call either the Polk County Sheriff's Office at 936-327-6810 or 911. You can also report on the iWatchTexas App.

Family asks people to stop speculating

Community members gathered for a prayer vigil for Audrii on Sunday at the VFW Post in Polk County at noon.

"You got to have faith in the good Lord, and the more we pray, the more he hears," Ray Epps said. "She used to come in with her uncle and help him out on dance nights and she was just full of life."

After the vigil, Audrii's uncle spoke to the media and asked people on social media not to speculate on the search.

"I realize that everybody's talking a bunch of stuff on Facebook and stuff like that. I'm going to ask that if you don't know anything, don't say anything. All you're doing is hurting the family," said Chris Boothe. "You don't know what they're going through. You don't know the circ*mstances. I do know Audrii is loved, I know Audrii is cared for."

Boothe asked that if people know anything to keep submitting tips to the Polk County Sheriff's Office.

"We want her home," he said. "This is a tragic incident."

Person of interest identified

On Saturday, DPS identified McDougal as a person of interest in the search for Audrii. Earlier that day, his vehicle, a dark blue Chevrolet Suburban, was also identified as what DPS called a vehicle of interest.

McDougal was arrested and booked into the Polk County Jail late Friday night on an unrelated aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charge.

Officials believe his SUV may be tied to Audrii's disappearance. If you've seen it in the past few days, you're asked to contact authorities.

Records show McDougal has a lengthy criminal history. In 2007, he was convicted of enticing a minor with intent out of Brazoria County.

McDougal has not been named a suspect in the case.

'She's such a great child'

Audrii's mom, Casey Matthews, couldn't hold back tears when she spoke to KHOU 11 about her missing daughter.

For Matthews, Audrii's disappearance is unusual because she said it's not like her to run off. She said Audrii is a great child who is smart, fun, and caring.

"She has so many opportunities ahead of her and deserves every right to reach those opportunities," Matthews said. "She should be at home where we know she's safe, and she's warm, and she's fed, and she should be with her little brother. She should be doing what Audrii does -- smiling, laughing, making everybody else smile and laugh."

Matthews said Audrii stays with her dad, her grandmother, and a man who allegedly dropped her off at her bus stop Thursday morning.

"Nobody has any clue actually as to where she might be," Matthews said. "They do have one person that they are looking into. Other than that, we have no leads."

Matthews wanted to spread the word about Audrii's disappearance and asked for any and all help when it came to finding her daughter.

"I’m not going to be the same unless my baby is returned to me and neither is her family," she said.