A Nevada man came home from a three-week vacation to an unsettling discovery: someone appeared to have been living inside his Lake Tahoe residence, eating his food, wearing his clothing and leaving behind evidence that authorities now hope will lead them to a person of interest.
The homeowner contacted the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office on June 5 after returning to the property and realizing something was wrong.
Deputies said items found inside the home suggested an unauthorized person had stayed there while the owner was away. The homeowner also told investigators that his birth certificate was missing.
A surveillance image released by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office shows a person of interest in an active residential burglary investigation after a homeowner returned from vacation to find someone had apparently been living inside his Lake Tahoe home. Authorities are asking anyone who recognizes the individual to contact investigators. (Douglas County Sheriff’s Office)
As deputies searched the residence, they recovered a wallet containing a Visa debit card issued to Clarence Zillman. They also found a Safeway receipt showing the purchase of two packs of Camel cigarettes.
That receipt led investigators to the Safeway at the Round Hill Shopping Center, where they obtained surveillance video showing the person who made the purchase.
According to the sheriff’s office, the individual seen in the surveillance image was wearing a shirt and hat that the homeowner later identified as belonging to him. Deputies recovered the shirt inside the home, but the hat has not been found.
A beach is shown at D.L. Bliss State Park after a weekend incident in which a boat capsized, killing several people, on Monday, June 23, 2025, in Lake Tahoe, Calif. (AP Photo/Brooke Hess-Homeier)
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office has released the surveillance image and is asking anyone who recognizes the individual or has information about the investigation to contact Investigator JT Davis at 775-586-7253. The investigation remains active.
INC News has reached out to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office for additional information.
The case unfolded in the Lake Tahoe region, one of the nation’s premier vacation-home markets. The area is known for its luxury properties and attracts wealthy homeowners, celebrities and tech executives seeking privacy and year-round outdoor recreation.
The incident also highlights concerns about unauthorized occupants targeting homes that may be left vacant for weeks or months at a time. Experts warn some squatting incidents can involve more than simply occupying a vacant home.
A Nevada homeowner returned from vacation to find someone had apparently been squatting inside his Lake Tahoe home, prompting an active residential burglary investigation by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office. (Stephen M. Katz/South Florida Sun-Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
Former Los Angeles Police Department Lt. Moses Castillo recently told INC News that some squatting cases have involved alleged identity theft, forged property documents and other criminal activity beyond unlawful occupancy.
“What we’re seeing now isn’t always someone just moving into an empty house,” Castillo said. “In some cases, there are forged documents, identity theft or organized fraud that complicate these investigations.”
Douglas County investigators have not alleged identity theft or document fraud in this case, though the homeowner reported that his birth certificate was missing. Authorities have not said whether they believe the document was taken for any particular purpose.
Concerns over squatting have prompted several states in recent years to pass laws aimed at speeding the removal of unauthorized occupants and clarifying the distinction between criminal trespass and civil landlord-tenant disputes.
