U.S. Officer Called to Home Where Man Died Alone... Posed as Him, Illegally Occupied House

Accessed police database to obtain the deceased's personal information

Lived in the home for two and a half years and even renovated it

Caught after a real estate development company bought the home

A U.S. police officer who responded to a home where someone had died alone was caught after impersonating the deceased homeowner and illegally living in the house for years.

According to ABC News and other outlets on October 23 local time, the Broward County Sheriff's Office in Florida arrested Officer Brian Lewis Sguros of the Lauderhill Police Department on suspicion of illegally occupying a home valued at $400,000 (about 530 million won) and impersonating its owner.

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The case began on July 11, 2022. Sguros responded to a home in Lauderhill, Florida, near Fort Lauderdale, after receiving a report that the homeowner could not be reached. He found Dennis West dead and alone inside the house. Less than a month later, Sguros secretly moved in. He not only illegally occupied the home for two and a half years but also spent more than $200,000 (about 265 million won) of his own money on repairs.

Sguros illegally accessed an internal police database to obtain West's personal information. He then lived as West, paying taxes and utility bills in his name and forging his signature to obtain permits for home repairs. Sguros reportedly lied to the medical examiner, saying he was friends with the deceased West and that West had no family, thereby preventing relatives from accessing the home.

Sguros's crime came to light in 2025, when a real estate development company that had located West's actual relatives purchased the home. Even after his crime was discovered, he brazenly filed a civil lawsuit against the real estate company, demanding reimbursement for the cost of repairing the house. He was ultimately charged with five felonies, including obstruction of public administration and identity theft of a deceased person. Authorities determined that West had died of natural causes.

Sguros, who is standing trial while suspended from duty, claimed that he had merely cleaned and repaired the neglected house in good faith to protect the community, as part of the roof was collapsing under piles of trash. He said his actions were intended to prevent squatters from moving in. He appeared in court recently and was released on bail. The judge ordered Sguros to stay away from West's home.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.