The great squatter saga has come to an end and the house on Magnolia Way West is once again empty.
When police arrived on Thursday, Aug. 19, to evict David Everett from a Magnolia mansion overlooking downtown Seattle, he had already vacated the home. The owners of the property then changed the locks and left.
No charges were filed against Everett at the time, and those involved hope that this will be the end of the bizarre saga that has involved a million-dollar home, a squatter and one of the most powerful banks in the country.
The drama began to unfold when in early August neighbors alerted authorities that someone had begun living in the vacated house in a quiet neighborhood in Magnolia. Chase Bank had foreclosed on the previous owners and had taken control of the property.
Everett, the man found living in the house, claimed he was there legally and that he had a lease on the home. He even showed a reporter documents that he said proved his right to be there. However, Chase Bank officials denied that they had given Everett a lease on the property or that they had ever met the man. Reporters also found that the address on the letterhead of Everett's lease did not belong to a legitimate business and the phone number was disconnected.
"It never got to play out in court," said Jacob Bozeman, the attorney representing Chase Bank. Bozeman said they had a court date set for Monday, but that Everett had moved out before charges were filed and he was evicted.
"The bank has possession of [the home] now. And Everett is probably off scamming someone else, in my opinion," the attorney said. "It worked out. We were glad that we had so much support from the neighbors and neighborhood."
Bozeman said landlords worried about squatters taking up residence in vacant homes that they own should make sure to nurture good relationships with neighbors.
The attorney said that authorities were alerted to the situation by neighbors, who thought something was wrong when Everett told conflicting stories about his situation to various neighbors. He told one area resident that he was a veteran. He told another that he had bought the house, and he told a third that he was renting the property.
"That's what got the neighbors on alert," Bozeman said.
Bank officials also became concerned after a realtor discovered Everett was living in the house. It has been reported that Everett has an outstanding warrant for his arrest in Orange County, Calif. The reason for the warrant is not known.
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