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

The Rowlett Police Department charged Heather Schwab this week with fraudulent securing of document execution of over $30,000 and less than $150,000, a felony, a police spokeswoman told Fox News Digital on Thursday.

The spokeswoman noted that the charge was an uncommon one that she and a detective had never seen before though that does not mean the department had never previously issued such a charge. 

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

Schwab is a convicted fraudster who was sentenced in 2018 in Colorado for felony identity theft in connection to serial squatting.

She was released in 2020 after serving only 16 months behind bars and came back into the public spotlight this year when a Rowlett homeowner, Jessica Davis, sounded the alarm that a woman allegedly using a false identity moved into her house without paying rent.

“Even though I am happy that there is a warrant for Heathers arrest, I feel like this could have been dealt with earlier if the Dallas County and Rowlett Police did not ignore my calls for help, my proof of fraud, and my wants on filing a report on Heather at the beginning,” Davis told Fox News Digital on Thursday. 

Schwab’s charge stems from a rental agreement she made with Davis, pledging she would pay $3,100 per month in a 12-month contract, police said.  6 Alleged serial squatter Heather Schwab was charged in Texas with fraudulent securing of document execution of over $30,000 and less than $150,000.Courtesy of Jessica Davis

Davis spoke to Fox News Digital earlier this fall when Schwab was still squatting in the home and highlighted then that she called many local officials for assistance on the matter, but she was told the matter was a civil case. 

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

Davis and her husband, Colin Davis, purchased their first home in December in Rowlett, roughly 20 miles outside of Dallas. 6 Schwab was allegedly squatting at a house in Rowlett, Texas.Google Maps 6 Homeowners Jessica and Colin Davis rented out the home after they relocated to Florida.Courtesy of Jessica Davis

The home, which has four bedrooms, a pool and a hot tub, was a dream for the family before Davis had to relocate to Florida for 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 prospective tenants and wound up in a nightmare scenario with Schwab, who allegedly used a false identity to move into the home. 

Davis said she received an initial message from a hopeful tenant about the property, which came in under the name “Heather Schwab,” but the woman told Davis that she was using her friends Zillow account and claimed her actual name was Rayes Ruybal. 6 Empty bottles and food on kitchen counter in home targeted by alleged “serial squatter.”Jessica Davis

Everything appeared above board with the application, and Davis allowed the woman and her 17-year-old son, who Davis said has autism, move into the home early as payments for the house were processing.

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

Davis began her own sleuthing of the woman after police repeatedly told her it was a civil matter, she said at the time. 

Davis then investigated the name Heather Schwab and discovered news links from 2018 reporting on her arrest and subsequent conviction on felony identity theft charges from alleged serial squatting in Adams County, Colorado. 6 The empty hot tub at the Texas home that was recently vacated by a squatter. Jessica Davis

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

Prosecutors dubbed Schwab a “serial squatter,” while the judge who presided over her case in 2018 said her crimes were “appalling.” see also Alleged ‘serial squatter’ flees home but leaves behind trash, putrid stench: owner

Davis and her husband hired a lawyer after the discovery and began filing eviction notices to no avail. Local media began investigating the matter last month, which Davis attributed to helping speed along the process of getting the squatter and her son out of the house.

Schwab finally moved out late last month, Davis said, leaving the home stinking of urine and cigarette smoke, and trashed with food and debris. 

“They smelled urine. They smelled smoke,” Davis recounted of what her husband and police found when they entered the home. “Both of the toilets are clogged with mounds of toilet paper and other seemingly fluids.”

Davis lamented in her comment to Fox News Digital on Thursday that she had hoped local police would have acted much sooner when she discovered the squatter in her home, arguing that “negligence and lack of communication is heavy on the department on this matter” and that she is “paying for it.”

“I was even told that I was not a victim. According to Rowlett Police, they even admitted they ignored me [until] the local news got involved,” she said. “I hope the higher up or DA will look at what happened and fix the issues in the law department.”

The homeowner said the squatting issue has left her financially strapped and living with family members to save money. 6 Homeowner Jessica Davis says a squatter who took over her home tried to whitewash the fireplace.Jessica Davis

The property was supposed to generate $2,850 in rent each month, in addition to a $300 monthly bill for weekly pool services.

Instead, Davis did not receive any payments 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 arrested and found guilty, Schwab faces up to 10 years in prison or a $10,000 fine. 

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Fireball at Southend Airport after small plane crashes

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Fireball at Southend Airport after small plane crashes

A small plane has crashed at Southend Airport in Essex.

Essex Police said it was at the scene of a “serious incident”.

Images posted online showed huge flames and a large cloud of black smoke, with one witness saying they saw a “fireball”.

A police statement said: “We were alerted shortly before 4pm to reports of a collision involving one 12-metre plane.

“We are working with all emergency services at the scene now and that work will be ongoing for several hours.

“We would please ask the public to avoid this area where possible while this work continues.”

Fireball after plane crash at Southend Airport. Pic: Ben G
Image:
A huge fireball near the airport. Pic: Ben G

It has been reported that the plane involved in the incident is a Beech B200 Super King Air.

According to flight-tracking service Flightradar, it took off at 3.48pm and was bound for Lelystad, a city in the Netherlands.

One man, who was at Southend Airport with his family around the time of the incident, said the aircraft “crashed headfirst into the ground”.

John Johnson said: “About three or four seconds after taking off, it started to bank heavily to its left, and then within a few seconds of that happening, it more or less inverted and crashed.

“There was a big fireball. Obviously, everybody was in shock in terms of witnessing it. All the kids saw it and the families saw it.”

Mr Johnson added that he phoned 999 to report the crash.

Southend Airport said the incident involved “a general aviation aircraft”.

Four flights scheduled to take off from Southend this afternoon were cancelled, according to its website.

Flightradar data shows two planes that had been due to land at Southend were diverted to nearby airports London Gatwick and London Stansted.

Smoke rising near Southend airport. Pic: UKNIP
Image:
Plumes of black smoke. Pic: UKNIP

Essex County Fire and Rescue Service said four crews, along with off-road vehicles, have attended the scene.

Four ambulances and four hazardous area response team vehicles are also at the airport, as well as an air ambulance, the East of England Ambulance Service said.

Its statement described the incident as “still developing”.

Fire engines at the scene at Southend Airport
Image:
Fire engines at the airport

David Burton-Sampson, the MP for Southend West and Leigh, posted on social media: “I am aware of an incident at Southend Airport. Please keep away and allow the emergency services to do their work.

“My thoughts are with everyone involved.”

Local councillor Matt Dent said on X: “At present all I know is that a small plane has crashed at the airport. My thoughts are with all those involved, and with the emergency services currently responding to the incident.”

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.

Please refresh the page for the latest version.

You can receive breaking news alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News app. You can also follow us on WhatsApp and subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.

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Meredith Kercher’s killer faces new trial over sexual assault allegations

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Meredith Kercher's killer faces new trial over sexual assault allegations

The man convicted of the murder of British student Meredith Kercher has been charged with sexual assault against an ex-girlfriend.

Rudy Guede, 38, was the only person who was definitively convicted of the murder of 21-year-old Ms Kercher in Perugia, Italy, back in 2007.

He will be standing trial again in November after an ex-girlfriend filed a police report in the summer of 2023 accusing Guede of mistreatment, personal injury and sexual violence.

Guede, from the Ivory Coast, was released from prison for the murder of Leeds University student Ms Kercher in 2021, after having served about 13 years of a 16-year sentence.

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Since last year – when this investigation was still ongoing – Guede has been under a “special surveillance” regime, Sky News understands, meaning he was banned from having any contact with the woman behind the sexual assault allegations, including via social media, and had to inform police any time he left his city of residence, Viterbo, as ruled by a Rome court.

Guede has been serving a restraining order and fitted with an electronic ankle tag.

The Kercher murder case, in the university city of Perugia, was the subject of international attention.

Ms Kercher, a 21-year-old British exchange student, was found murdered in the flat she shared with her American roommate, Amanda Knox.

The Briton’s throat had been cut and she had been stabbed 47 times.

(L-R) Raffaele Sollecito, Meredith Kercher and Amanda Knox. Pic: AP
Image:
(L-R) Raffaele Sollecito, Meredith Kercher and Amanda Knox. File pic: AP

Ms Knox and her then-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, were placed under suspicion.

Both were initially convicted of murder, but Italy’s highest court overturned their convictions, acquitting them in 2015.

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Politics

RWAs build mirrors where they need building blocks

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RWAs build mirrors where they need building blocks

RWAs build mirrors where they need building blocks

Most RWAs remain isolated and underutilized instead of composable, DeFi-ready building blocks. It’s time to change that.

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