Lehigh Acres home builder finds squatters in newly built property
A pair of squatters were found living in a brand-new home worth over a half million dollars in Lehigh Acres.
Gabriel Timis, the builder of the home, arrived on Tuesday to inspect the property on 14 St SE and ensure everything was ready for the new owners to move in. What he found inside, however, was far from what he expected.
"I was stunned. I couldn't believe it. I thought I was in the wrong house at first," Timis said.
Upon unlocking the front door, Timis was confronted with a man and a woman who had made themselves at home. Timis said the pair were found occupying the house, smoking marijuana, and storing food in the fridge.
As soon as Timis pulled out his phone to call 911 and took photos of the situation, the squatters fled through the back sliding glass door on bicycles. Lee County deputies quickly apprehended the suspects, Jameshyia Monk and Steven Delaine III and arrested them. The couple now faces charges of burglary and theft for using utilities without permission.
Despite no signs of forced entry, deputies were unable to determine how Monk and Delaine gained access to the home. However, Timis, who checks the property regularly, expressed disbelief that the couple was homeless. He pointed out that they had new iPhones and expensive belongings, suggesting they were not in financial hardship.
According to Timis, the squatters had only been living in the house for a few days.