In a shocking incident, an alleged squatter in Arizona was arrested after illegally moving into a deceased man’s home and selling his SUV. The Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office reported that Michael Macinnis, 45, was apprehended on multiple felony charges, including forging documents to make it seem like he was the legal owner of the 2005 Chevy Tahoe.
According to investigators, Macinnis had illegally occupied the Cordes Lakes home of the unidentified deceased man since May 2023. During his stay, he allegedly forged car documents to sell the Tahoe to a resident of Flagstaff, located approximately 80 miles away from Cordes Lakes. The real homeowner had passed away several months before Macinnis moved in.
Authorities also revealed that Macinnis resisted arrest, even going to the extent of slamming a metal door on a deputy’s wrist. It was reported that prior to his arrest, he had swallowed around 40 fentanyl pills. After being taken into custody, Macinnis was administered NarCan by jail medical staff and subsequently transported to the hospital due to incoherence and drowsiness.
Following his release from the hospital, Macinnis was charged with nine felonies, including aggravated assault on law enforcement, forgery, and fraud. Squatter incidents like these have become increasingly prevalent worldwide, with vacant homes or properties belonging to deceased individuals being targeted by suspects.
Instances of alleged squatters taking over properties have been reported in various parts of the United States. Just last year, police in Tulsa, Oklahoma, arrested individuals who had moved into a house where both the homeowner and tenant had recently passed away. In a horrifying incident in Las Vegas in 2021, police discovered the remains of an elderly female homeowner in a shallow grave on her private property. The squatters not only found the woman’s body but also dismembered and buried her before continuing to live in her home.
The rise in squatter-related crimes poses a significant concern for homeowners, particularly those who are away for extended periods or have properties left unattended. Authorities are urging property owners to remain vigilant and take necessary precautions to protect their homes from potential squatting incidents.
