Residential burglaries solved

Walton County Sheriff’s investigators have solved two residential burglaries in the DeFuniak Springs area with the arrest of a man and his girlfriend. Last week, residences on Franck Drive and Dawn Street in the Kings Lake area were burglarized. In each instance, January Devuono of Rembrandt Circle in DeFuniak Springs was developed as a suspect.

Later in the week, a 2009 Hyundai Accent being driven by the 26-year-old woman was stopped by a K-9 Deputy on U.S. 90 outside of Mossy Head. Twenty-year-old Kevin Edward Harper, who lists the same address as Devuono, was in the front passenger’s seat. A search of the vehicle revealed a cardboard box in the back seat containing jewelry from both burglaries.  There was also a Nike backpack in the trunk, which contained gold coins, electronics and other stolen items. A stolen 9mm handgun was also found.

Through the course of the investigation, Walton County Sheriff’s personnel traveled to Florala, Ala., where additional items were discovered lying in a wooded area adjacent to a rural road.  Some of it came from last week’s home break-ins, but it’s unclear who owns a number of other jewelry items. The Walton County Sheriff’s Office is working with several law enforcement agencies in southeast Alabama.

Harper was booked into the Walton County Jail on a $10,000 bond on four felony charges: Burglary of an unoccupied Ddwelling unarmed, burglary of a dwelling armed, and two-counts of grand theft.

Devuono faces a felony charge of accessory after the fact, and her bond is $5,000. She also has an outstanding warrant from Okaloosa County.

The Sheriff’s Office is continuing its investigation and trying to find the owners of the remaining stolen items. If you may have information on the owner, or other information about the crime, contact the Walton County Sheriff’s Office at 892-8186.  One can also contact Crime Stoppers of Walton County at the toll free line 1-866-718-TIPS (8477).