For one retiree, a picturesque stretch of Florida’s coastline holds cherished family memories and serves as a poignant link to those who’ve passed. For a member of the Backstreet Boys, it represents a property he is determined to keep private.
Carolyn Barrington Hill finds herself embroiled in a bitter legal battle instigated by Brian Littrell, a dispute she revealed to the Daily Mail has prevented her from peacefully visiting her parents’ resting place for over two years.
For decades, the 67-year-old Hill frequented a particular spot on Santa Rosa Beach, where she would relax, contemplate life, and feel at home. After her parents’ passing, she chose this beloved location to scatter their ashes.
Though homes have long dotted the shoreline, the trouble began when Littrell, originally from Kentucky, acquired his Florida residence in February 2023, leading to conflicts for Hill.
Since his move, Littrell, his wife Leighanne, and a property manager have experienced tense encounters with beachgoers who venture near the musician’s $3.8 million estate.
Local residents are outraged by what they see as an increasing trend of affluent newcomers privatizing Florida’s scenic beaches. Many have contributed to a GoFundMe campaign supporting Hill’s legal challenge, which has amassed over $14,000.
Hill told the Daily Mail: ‘I have lived in Walton County, Florida, for decades, with this stretch of beach being the closest to my home.
‘I have been riding my bike to this beach since the 1980s. It is my place to sit, decompress and meditate. My parents’ ashes were laid to rest off the coast of the Gulf, and this beach holds a special place in my heart.’
Brian Littrell of Backstreet Boys fame has been scaring locals away from his beachfront property since 2023
The Backstreet Boys singer, who lives with his wife Leighanne, bought his Santa Rosa Beach home for $3.8million in 2023
Many of the confrontations between Hill and the singer have been recorded by either or both sides of the disagreement.
In videos posted online, some folks on the beach have refused to leave, citing a Florida law that states the wet sand and water below the mean high-water line are typically public, while the dry sand above said line can be privately owned.
Hill told the Daily Mail that, in accordance with that law, she has never trespassed on the singer’s property, always remaining on the public access area.
Her attorney said Hill consistently sets up her beach chair facing away from the Littrell home, with a view of the Gulf.
Things went off the rails for Hill during an early 2025 visit, when she was approached by Littrell’s property manager.
According to video of the incident, Hill claimed that the manager had aggressively approached her with a drill, making her fear for her safety.
‘I’ve been threatened by him, and next time he gets 4ft away from me with that drill, I’m bringing out pepper spray,’ Hill told police. ‘Am I allowed to do that, when he does this in front of me?’
Other beachgoers have also claimed that Littrell’s manager has threatened them with a drill after he accused them of trespassing onto private property – forcing police to get involved on at least one occasion.
Hill has an emotional connection to the beach as it reminds her of her childhood and brings her peace
Hill claimed she is only ever on the public part of the beach, and does not want to stop going as it is where her parents’ ashes were spread
A video posted on August 5, 2025, showed a law enforcement officer telling the property manager: ‘If you go near someone else with that f***ing drill in your hand again, I’m going to take you to jail. You get me? Do you understand me?’
The officer then told the manager two people had told him ‘they have felt threatened by you because you have a drill in your hand.’
‘It doesn’t matter how you treat it,’ the officer added. ‘Threat’s a perception, is it not?’
He then said the property manager was ‘walking a fine line.’
Last September, Littrell’s attorneys filed a lawsuit against Hill, saying in their complaint that Hill ‘set out to antagonize, bully and harass the Littrell family by frequently trespassing’ on their property ‘in open defiance of the ‘no trespassing’ signs.’
They alleged that Hill’s ‘trespassing’ caused them to ‘suffer emotional distress’ as it interfered with their ‘use and enjoyment of the property.’
But last week, a judge dismissed this claim, stating that ’emotional distress damages are not permitted on a claim for trespassing.’
Littrells’ corporation, BLB Beach Hut LLC, had also filed suit against the Walton County Sheriff’s Department, claiming that they failed to chase away beachgoers. That lawsuit was similarly dismissed.
Littrell’s house (middle) sits on the beach of Florida’s Gulf Coast. Florida law that states the wet sand and water are typically public, while the dry sand above said line can be privately owned
Littrell has signs posted along the beach indicating private property, but beachgoers say parts of the sand are legally public
Littrell (far right) and the Backstreet Boys. From left, Kevin Richardson, Howie Dorough, Nick Carter and AJ McLean
Undeterred, the Littrells have filed suit yet again, seeking more than $50,000 from Hill. Attorneys for the Littrells have not returned the Daily Mail’s request for comment.
Hill’s attorney, Heidi Mehaffey, told the Daily Mail that she believes the Littrells are attempting to make an example out of her client.
‘She is not a Backstreet Boys fan. She’s not looking into their windows. She is just enjoying the public beach near their house,’ Mehaffey said.
Hill told the Daily Mail she is emotionally suffering from the lawsuit.
‘It has diminished my overall enjoyment of life,’ she said. ‘The beach has always been my safe space, but emotional fear of being harassed on the beach, the lawsuit and the horrible things being said about me have made me fearful to enjoy a place that holds so much peace and memories for me. The lies hurt my very soul.’
Hill continued, saying that she ‘never asked to be a part of this’ and ‘never wanted to be featured on tabloids’ – all she wanted was her ‘own private reprieve and to be left alone.’
‘I am a very private person,’ she added. ‘The lawsuit has taken a toll on my emotional health and kept me from engaging in my community as I normally would.
‘In a perfect world, I would never have been sued at all, forced to beg the court for time to try to hire legal counsel to help me navigate the process, or had mounting attorney’s fees and costs that weigh me down everyday with the thought of it.
‘In a perfect world, I would be left alone to enjoy the shoreline that I’ve walked throughout most of my life. I am, however, determined to stay strong throughout the legal process and am so grateful for everyone that has been supporting me.’
