‘Serial occupier’ Heather Schwab may have planned her latest illegal stay

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By Emma Coulton, Fox News

A “serial squatter” who was last seen fraudulently living in a Texas home has officially become a wanted woman in the state, police said.

The Rowlett Police Department charged Heather Schwab this week with fraud in securing the execution of documents over $30,000 but under $150,000, a felony, a police spokeswoman told Fox News Digital on Thursday.

The spokeswoman noted that the charge was unusual and something she or one of the investigators had never seen before — although that did not mean the department had not issued such a charge before.

Police said they believe Schwab is likely still in the state, and are calling on members of the public to come forward with any information about her whereabouts.

Schwab is a convicted fraudster who was sentenced in 2018 in Colorado for identity theft in connection with a serial takeover.

She was released in 2020 after serving just 16 months behind bars and returned to the public spotlight this year when Rowlett homeowner Jessica Davis raised the alarm that a woman allegedly using a fake ID had moved into her home without paying rent.

“While I am glad there was a warrant for Heather’s arrest, I feel this matter could have been dealt with sooner if Dallas County Police and Rowlett Police had not ignored my calls for help, my fraud proof, and my needs to file. Report for Heather Initially, Davis told Fox News Digital on Thursday.

Police said the charge against Schwab stems from a rental agreement she entered into with Davis, in which she pledged to pay $3,100 a month in a 12-month contract.

Davis spoke to Fox News Digital earlier this fall when Schwab was still house-sitting and later confirmed that she had contacted several local officials for help on the matter, but was told it was a civil case.

“I called the police. I called the DA. I called the police chief. Assistant police chief. I called the Department of Justice and the courts, as if I could get a number,” Davis said in September.

Davis and her husband, Colin Davis, bought their first home in December in Rowlett, about 20 miles outside of Dallas.

The home, which has four bedrooms, a pool and a hot tub, was a dream for the family before Davis had to move to Florida to take her job about six months ago.

The couple did not want to sell the property so soon after purchasing it and decided to rent it out.

They posted listings on Apartments.com and Zillow to find potential renters and ended up in a nightmare scenario with Schwab, who allegedly used a fake identity to move into the house.

Davis said she received an initial message from a tenant hopeful about the property, who came under the name “Heather Schwab,” but the woman told Davis she was using her friend’s Zillow account and claimed her real name was Rayes Ruybal.

Everything appeared above board with the application, and Davis allowed the woman and her 17-year-old son, who Davis said is autistic, to move into the house early while the house payments were processed.

However, the payments failed, according to Davis, and the homeowners never received any money from the woman.

Davis said at the time that she began her own investigation into the woman after police repeatedly told her it was a civil matter.

Davis then investigated Heather Schwab’s name and discovered news links from 2018 reporting her arrest and subsequent conviction on felony identity theft charges from an alleged serial seizure in Adams County, Colorado.

She and her husband, William Schwab, were accused of renting and living in properties but never paying the landlords.

Prosecutors described Schwab as a “serial squatter,” while the judge who presided over her case in 2018 said her crimes were “horrific.”

Davis and her husband hired an attorney after the discovery and began filing eviction notices to no avail. Local media began investigating the matter last month, which Davis credited with helping speed up the process of removing the squatter and her son from the home.

Schwab finally left late last month, leaving the house smelling of urine and cigarette smoke, and littered with food and debris, Davis said.

“They smelled urine,” Davis recounted what her husband and police found when they entered the home. “Both toilets appeared to be clogged with piles of toilet paper and other liquids.”

Davis expressed regret in her commentary on Fox News Digital on Thursday, saying she had hoped local police would have acted more quickly when they discovered squatters in her home, arguing that “the negligence and lack of communication is heavy on the administration in this matter” and that they are “paying the price for it.” .

“I was told I was not a victim,” Rowlett police said. They admitted they ignored me (until) the local news got through. “…I hope the higher up or the district attorney will look into what happened and fix the problems in the law department.”

The homeowner said that the squatting issue made her suffer financial hardship and she lives with her family members to save money.

The property was supposed to generate rent of $2,850 per month, plus a monthly bill of $300 for weekly pool services.

Instead, Davis has received no payment from the woman for the three months she is owed and is looking at a $1,500 water bill, electric bills, legal fees, mortgage payments and expensive cleaning fees.

Police told Fox News Digital that Schwab was last seen driving a 2005 Dodge Ram with a Colorado license plate reading ZOS460.

If caught and convicted, Schwab faces up to 10 years in prison or a $10,000 fine.