GPS ankle monitor helps nab serial church burglar

ST. FRANCIS CO., AR (WMC) - Two men have been charged in a series of church burglaries across the Mid-South, and what one of them was wearing helped police close the case.

Davan Cochran is accused of stealing musical instruments and sound equipment from several churches is behind bars. Officials said he was caught after his ankle monitor was tracked.

"We just have to sing acapella," said pastor Timothy McFadden.

McFadden is the pastor at rural St. Francis County church Mt. Zion. His church is one of the many small rural churches Cochran is accused of burglarizing getting away with musical instruments and sound equipment.

Mt. Zion now has no musical instruments.

St. Francis County Sheriff's investigators said some of the items taken were found in Cochran's car.

"At the time of his arrest, we were told, he is a church musician and was actually playing at a church in Memphis," said Captain Eddie Adamson.

St. Francis County investigators were able to catch Cochran after a farmer got the license plate number and they realized Cochran was out on parole from a commercial burglary.

He was wearing a GPS monitor ankle bracelet, allowing investigators to time him to the church burglaries.

They then pulled up his history and were able to tie him to other church burglaries.

St. Francis County was also made aware of a church burglary in Cross County where $2,600 in musical equipment was stolen from the Butler Chapel Church.

Some of the musical equipment from Butler Chapel was found at a Memphis pawn shop.

Cross County Sheriff's investigators developed Jonathan Murray as a suspect in the Butler Chapel burglary. He was arrested by West Memphis police.

Both men are charged with commercial burglary and theft of more than $1,000.

WMC5 investigators were told there is much more to this story, but right now it is under investigation and details can't be released at this time.

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