A Louisiana man is fighting to regain control of his home after rowdy squatters moved in twice – and put the property on the market.
Richard Craven and his wife Kristen inherited the 3,200-square-foot, four-bedroom ranch-style home in Baton Rouge in 2022.
It sat empty for several months, but then Joseph Guerin and Jennifer Chapman moved in.
The couple were evicted by police in April this year, but were released on September 4th – and moved back in on September 5th.
“The neighbor next door who has lived there for many years – we’ve been there since 1984 – texted me this morning,” Craven told KBRZ.
“And she said, ‘You’ve got company over there.’ “That Joey guy is back.”
Richard Craven (left) inherited the house last year: Joseph Guerin, a serial squatter, moved in and was arrested in April. He was released from prison on Monday and moved back into Craven’s home on Tuesday
Craven inherited this four-bedroom white brick house and wanted to sell it
Craven has since discovered that Guerin gave the address of Craven’s house as his own when he was released from prison.
Additionally, Guerin has filed paperwork connecting him to the property, so police told Craven they couldn’t help because it was a civil dispute over the property.
“The police won’t show me what papers he has,” Craven said.
“I told them everything he has must be fake.”
“I will not allow a criminal to break into the house and take control.” It’s that simple. So it’s more than just gaining control. He goes. He will go.’
The Cravens first met Guerin several months after taking over the house, driving by and noticing a dumpster in the driveway.
“We checked it and it was searched.” “Everything was thrown away,” Craven said.
“We didn’t confront him, we just watched, and then I noticed all the traffic.”
Guerin had the locks changed and the utilities issued in his name.
He put the property on the market for $225,000, describing it as a “great home” with plenty of space for a large family and a pool to “beat the heat.”
The property sat on the market for a day before Craven noticed it and had it demolished. The offer remains online, but is marked as “out of market”.
Guerin and Chapman were arrested for trespassing, and Craven found that Guerin was arrested last year on similar charges and was free on $5,000 bail.
Guerin had remodeled the house, painting over wood matte black and even painting a window black.
The carpet was removed, tile floors installed and new countertops installed.
Some areas were painted white and in one room the walls were covered in graffiti.
One of the upstairs bathrooms has been destroyed and there are holes in the walls and missing pieces on the ceiling.
Craven said the work Guerin did was of poor quality and needed to be ripped out and started again.
“The house needed a little work, but now it needs everything,” Craven said.
Baton Rouge Police Chief Murphy J. Paul, Jr. has not commented. Police told Craven they could not intervene in a civil dispute because Guerin’s name was on some utility lines
Craven also found abandoned drug paraphernalia and empty alcohol bottles, he told KBRZ.
“Drug use, drug dealing, I don’t know if he rented rooms to women,” Craven said.
On September 4, Guerin was released from prison.
And on September 5th he was back in the house.
“He got in there,” Craven said.
“He saw it was empty and decided to sell it for cash. “And he just did that.”
With the Baton Rouge police unwilling to get involved, Craven isn’t sure what his next steps will be – but he’s adamant that Guerin needs to move out.
Baton Rouge Police Chief Murphy J. Paul, Jr. did not respond to ‘s request for comment.