Strangers move in, make 79-year-old ‘a prisoner in his own country’

Global Courant

A 79-year-old Texas man was made “a prisoner in his own home” for months after a trio of strangers moved in, investigators said.

The man had gone to Louisiana for a funeral, and when he returned to his home in Tomball, Texas, in December, it was immediately clear that something wasn’t right, according to a lawsuit filed June 2 in Harris County.

His truck had disappeared into the driveway and three “brand new” vehicles had taken its place, according to documents. They were funded in his name and without his knowledge, the prosecution says.

He put his key in the front door, but it wouldn’t open because the locks had been changed.

Inside were three people, two women and a man, the prosecutor says.

The homeowner, A disabled veteran, had tried to help one of the suspects, he told TV channel KHOU. Now he paid for his kindness.

“I wished a thousand times that I had never helped them, but I did,” he said.

According to documents, the trio controlled his home and his finances for months. When they needed money, or money for gas, they beat him with a plastic rod until he gave it to them, the indictment says.

His life continued like this until mid-February, when the man took one of the suspects to have the oil changed, documents said. A witness noticed bruises on his arms and asked where they came from, but the man would not answer.

Concerned, the witness later went to his home and took him to a doctor, where he explained what had been done to him, investigators said. She filed for an eviction on his behalf and the police cleared the trio from the house.

They stole a number of appliances while they were in the house, the witness and friend, Patti Hallas, told KHOU.

“They took the TVs, they took the wall oven, they took the fridge, they took everything,” she said.

Two of the suspects, women aged 43 and 39, are charged with aggravated robbery, court documents show.

Their male accomplice is accused of injuring the elderly, KHOU reported.

Story continues

tomb located about 35 miles northwest of downtown Houston.

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Strangers move in, make 79-year-old ‘a prisoner in his own country’

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