Terri Boyette, a Texas woman, hired a repairman recommended on TikTok to make repairs on her home while she cared for her elderly mother in Florida. However, after firing the repairman off the social media platform, he began squatting in Boyette’s Mesquite home, allowing other strangers to join him. The situation escalated when a painter broke in, leaving behind drug paraphernalia and turning the home into a biohazard zone. Despite Boyette’s efforts to resolve the issue with the police, the situation continued for nearly a year before the repairman was evicted in March.
The repairman, along with other squatters, turned Boyette’s home into a drug den, selling off her possessions such as the washer, dryer, refrigerator, and dining room table. Although she was granted an eviction notice in December, the process was delayed to accommodate the squatter over the holidays, leaving Boyette homeless during that time. The man was eventually served with a final eviction notice in February and was formally evicted in March, but the home remains in disarray due to the havoc caused by the squatters.
Boyette’s case is just one of 475 squatter cases in the Dallas-Forth Worth area, highlighting a significant issue that many homeowners face. Texas State Senator Paul Bettencourt, along with other lawmakers, plans to address the lack of clear legislation defining squatter rights and the legal loopholes that allow squatters to take over properties. The committee launched by Bettencourt aims to find solutions to these issues and prevent similar situations from occurring in the future.
The Texas Senate committee is investigating why the Mesquite Police Department failed to take action against the squatters in Boyette’s home, leaving her to deal with the situation for months on end. Boyette shared her frustration with the police response, stating that they considered the issue a civil matter rather than a criminal one. Legislators are demanding more accountability from law enforcement and seeking answers as to why the police did not remove the squatters earlier.
Sen. Royce West questioned Boyette about the police’s lack of action in removing the squatters from her home. Boyette recounted the difficulties she faced in dealing with the police and the courts to resolve the situation, emphasizing the challenges she encountered in regaining control of her property. The man who had been evicted later returned to the home, prompting further concerns about the effectiveness of law enforcement in handling such cases. Lawmakers are calling on the Mesquite Police Department to explain their response to the situation and address the shortcomings in dealing with squatter issues in the community.
