Latest news with #Olivers
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Squatters leave DeKalb County home days after Channel 2 Action News confronted them
The Oliver family says they are breathing a sigh of relief after squatters finally left their childhood home. 'We're just happy. We're happy to get our parents' home back,' Lisa Oliver-Heath said. Channel 2 Action News was the only station there as deputies went through every room on Monday. Pictures taken by neighbors show a U-Haul truck in the driveway hours before deputies arrived. The Olivers suspect the squatters left before law enforcement arrived. 'We're anxious to get inside and see the conditions of our property,' Oliver-Heath said. Last week, the Olivers told Channel 2 investigative reporter Ashli Lincoln that squatters cut the locks of the home and moved in a day after their father's passing. The home sat empty for months as their father received medical care at a nursing facility. They told Lincoln they were expected to close on the home last Friday to a new buyer. 'This has been an ordeal,' Oliver-Heath said. One of the squatters, Dontarious Issac, turned himself in to police Friday. TRENDING STORIES: Governor's office said it will start issuing special tax refund checks this week 'Real Housewives of Atlanta' star Dwight Eubanks diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer 'Nursing imposters': Man impersonating healthcare worker arrested, officials say Issac was on probation for a 2024 felony conviction in Greene County. He was charged after using a drone to deliver contraband to inmates in Georgia prisons. He was sentenced to serve 5 years. Some 180 days of that time, he received credit for time served. Some of the conditions for his probation include not being around drugs, alcohol, or weapons. The Olivers said some of the squatters approached them with weapons. Issac told Lincoln on Thursday that they were planning a large pool party at the house. Sheriff's deputies sat outside the house on Saturday, and the party didn't happen. 'What you're doing is more than just about having a good time. You are committing felonies,' Oliver-Heath said. Because Issac was the one who told investigators he had a lease and hasn't presented one before the three-day window, he'll now be charged with a felony. Georgia law requires suspected squatters to provide proof of lease within a three-day window. 'Our goal is having our last moments, walking our family through our family home, getting everything in order and getting ready to pass our home on to the next owner, so that it can be a blessing to them,' Oliver-Heathmoves told Lincoln. The family did a walk-through of the home. They said the squatters left the home dirty and they found a few holes in some of the walls. They've hired private security who will monitor this home until the new buyer moves in.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
DeKalb family says childhood home taken over by squatters planning VIP pool party
The Oliver family says more than 40 years of history have been stolen by a group of alleged squatters. 'We lost our father on Wednesday, on Thursday, we learned someone has taken over the home that he built with his hands,' Lisa Oliver said. They fought back tears while speaking to Channel 2 Investigative Reporter Ashli Lincoln. They said the squatters tore off the home's surveillance system around 1 a.m. last Thursday. 'And cut the door knob and lock box off the door,' said Lisa. They say this house holds a lot of meaning because it's their childhood home. 'Our father was one of the first Black attorneys to have a law firm in DeKalb County,' she said. 'I wanted to do my last walkthrough, because it's the only house I've ever known,' Marlene Oliver-Bruce said. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] DeKalb County records show the property is still in their deceased parents' names. In a Dekalb County incident report taken last Friday, the squatter first told police he owned the home, but changed his story, saying he had a lease under a rental contract. He told police he put down $4,500 for a down payment on a lease. The Olivers say that the day they were supposed to close on the home to a new buyer, they learned squatters were already inside. And when they went to confront the group, the men brandished rifles at their brother Kevin. 'That person came to the door with a rifle, which I clearly recognized as an AR-15 rifle,' Kevin told Lincoln. Since moving in, the squatters have taken to social media advertising a large pool party this weekend. Advertisements boast a pool party with food trucks and VIP parking. Lincoln went by the house, and spoke with the man behind all of the social media posts. When she asked him to show the lease, he would only reference the pool party. He claims the Olivers are not telling the truth and he has a lease, but he declined to show Lincoln the lease. 'We have people calling from Florida, and they're saying, 'Hey, we saw your dad's house on the internet,'' Lisa said. On Thursday afternoon, Channel 2 Action News was the only station there when three sheriff's deputies arrived at the house and spoke with the man behind the social media post. MORE FROM 2 INVESTIGATES: Disabled woman raising money to pay $900 bill because property owner didn't install wiring right Metro Atlanta mother says insurance will only cover fraction of son's international ATV accident Metro hospital prompting people to open medical credit card to pay for surgeries, patient says Under the Squatter Reform Act, the Olivers filed a squatters' affidavit. The act was recently passed, allowing law enforcement to cite suspected squatters criminally for trespassing. A DeKalb County incident report reveals the alleged squatters were cited in this case. 'If they have no documentation, they'll be out in three days,' said State Rep. Devan Seabaugh, who sponsored the bill. Under the new law, if the suspected squatter presents a lease, the case goes before a magistrate judge within seven days. A fake lease adds an extra felony charge. 'These are criminals that know exactly what they're doing, and they're taking advantage of the loophole that we had in our law. And we've corrected that,' Seabaugh said. Lincoln learned several of the squatters at this property have criminal records, specifically crimes related to squatting. The alleged squatters have until Monday to answer to this affidavit. There will be a court day next week on the matter. In the meantime, the Olivers are calling for their neighbors to call the police this weekend if this party does happen. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
