Don Steven McDougal, the suspect marked with a Swastika tattoo in the heinous murder of Audrii Cunningham, declined to don clothing during his arraignment, displaying a confrontational attitude towards law enforcement, as seen in bodycam footage.
The unsettling video, acquired by ABC, discloses that McDougal was entirely unclothed when deputies from the Polk County sheriff’s office opened his cell door last Wednesday.
[adinserter name="Two"]McDougal, aged 42 and residing in a trailer on his father’s property, faces charges in connection with the murder of 11-year-old Cunningham, who went missing earlier in the month.
[adinserter name="One"]Cunningham’s lifeless body was discovered tied to a rock in the Trinity River last week, with a rope matching the one ‘observed in McDougal’s vehicle on a traffic stop two days prior,’ according to the criminal complaint against him.
[adinserter name="Three"]The footage from inside the Polk County Jail captures the startling moment when McDougal was found naked in his cell. A deputy, surprised by McDougal’s lack of clothing, urged him to wrap up in a blanket before his appearance in front of the justice of the peace for arraignment.
During the arraignment, McDougal, draped in a blanket around his waist, exhibited a smirk while his Nazi-related tattoos were prominently visible.
[adinserter name="Four"]Despite being charged with murder, McDougal declined a court-appointed attorney and stated he would hire his own.
McDougal, who had previously participated in search efforts for Cunningham, has been held on a separate assault charge unrelated to the recent incident.
[adinserter name="Five"]He had joined the search after Cunningham was reported missing when she failed to return home from school.
Prosecutors emphasized ‘substantial evidence’ in the case, citing cell phone data and videos aiding in identifying search locations.
[adinserter name="Six"]The discovery of Cunningham’s body was facilitated by lowered water levels in the Trinity River.
Court records revealed McDougal’s criminal history, including a past plea of no contest to felony charges related to enticing a child in 2007, resulting in a two-year prison sentence.
[adinserter name="Seven"]Cunningham’s family expressed grief and asserted that they were failed by the system.
They claimed McDougal had a history of disrespecting young female children, which was not apparent when checking the sex offender registry.
[adinserter name="Eight"]The family described Cunningham as a charismatic and talented young lady, planning a public memorial service for her on March 1 at Livingston First Baptist Church.
