Trio caught on video trying to squat in foreclosed southwest Houston home 3 days in a row

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — A self-proclaimed minister is caught on camera trying to move into a home he doesn’t own for three days in a row this week, in southwest Houston, and he almost succeeded.

The suspicious activity began Monday afternoon, when a grey Volkwagon pulled into the foreclosed home’s driveway. On video, you can see a trio of men hanging around the driveway for hours. Houston police arrived on Monday evening to investigate the reported suspicious activity, but by that point, the men had left.

The trio returned Tuesday, this time with blankets and backpacks. Police say they got into the home by breaking into a back door, and by Tuesday afternoon, police say the alleged ringleader, Kafil Tunsill, had parked his car in the garage.

“He was trying to take over the property,” said veteran real estate attorney Dennis McQueen, who looked into the home’s property records. “At the end of the day, the bank owns the property through the foreclosure, and so the bank has to take some steps.”

McQueen says court records show that Tunsill had filed several deeds and mechanic’s liens with the Harris County Clerk’s office, claiming to own the home. The paper trail began in September and continued until Wednesday.

HPD gave Tunsill a trespass warning on Tuesday, and the trio drove off that night. However, they remained undeterred. Tunsill returned for the third time on Wednesday. Records show that he spent the morning filing new deed documents and brought them with him to the house as he attempted to move in. Video shows Tunsill showing police officers the deed documents.

After several hours of back-and-forth negotiations on Wednesday, the bank that owns the house pressed charges, and Tunsill was arrested for trespassing and taken to jail.

“Banks are notoriously slow after the foreclosure,” McQueen said, explaining why bank-owned homes are especially susceptible to squatters, especially those who know how to file paperwork. “It usually takes them 2, 3 months to find a real estate agent and put it up for sale, and how to do you even contact the bank?”

McQueen says it’s crucial that neighbors remain vigilant in these situations because there are just so many potential squatters out there. While some simply attempt to move in, others may file extensive paperwork to try to confuse and slow down the investigation.

On Instagram, Tunsill even offers to teach others how to make sure their divine property rights are preserved. Federal court records show Tunsill has filed numerous lawsuits around the country, even most recently against the U.S. Treasury Secretary. McQueen has seen these situations before. He says there are people who subscribe to the belief that God allows them to own property.

“I have seen some of this. They have a thing where you are supposed to get property because you are a living human being, and everyone deserves property, according to their theory.”

For now, this particular house is under contract with a legitimate buyer. However, McQueen says the final sale of the house could be impacted because Tunsill has filed numerous claims of ownership with Harris County.

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