A man who law enforcement officials say has been squatting in a Washougal-area house appeared in Skamania County Superior Court on Thursday on allegations that he sold the home’s fencing.
Brett Marquiss, 22, has been staying at 201 Aberdeen Drive, a country-style house in rural Washougal. Over the last few months, neighbors have complained and called police about vehicles racing around the house, trash piling up outside and residents firing guns after hours, according to documents filed in Superior Court.
“The property has definitely been mistreated,” said Skamania County Chief Criminal Deputy Pat Bond. “The neighbors were upset, and rightfully so.”
Marquiss, along with his brother Michael and some other people, began squatting at the house sometime after the former renters moved out and the house was vacant, Bond said. People have been arrested on warrants at the house, he said.
Until recently, it wasn’t clear who legally owned the home.
“Everybody kind of passed the buck around,” Bond said. “We really didn’t have an owner of the house — a victim, per se.”
Eventually, the sheriff’s office determined Sarah Lightner of Twisp was the legal owner. She told the sheriff’s office that she wants the squatters off her property and hadn’t given anyone permission to sell or trade her belongings, according to documents filed in Superior Court.
Bond visited Brett Marquiss at the house in April and told him that the owner was starting the eviction process and that he was not to sell any of the belongings in the house, particularly the fencing and appliances. Neighbors later said that items in the house were listed on Craigslist, including the white vinyl fencing.
On May 16, a neighbor called police after she witnessed somebody loading white fencing into the back of a pickup. Robin Nelson of Battle ground later called the sheriff’s office to report that she bought the fencing for a nonprofit therapeutic horse program.
Neighbors told her she was purchasing stolen property because the fencing didn’t belong to the Marquiss brothers, court documents said.
Nelson said she saw the 280 feet of fencing listed on Craigslist and agreed with the sellers that she would buy it for $700, court documents said. She said the brothers were very pleasant when she went to pick up the fencing until they got into a heated argument with the neighbors.
An arrest warrant was issued for Brett and Michael Marquiss. Brett Marquiss was arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of second-degree theft and trafficking in stolen property.
Marquiss was released from jail after posting bail on the condition that he reside at a residence in Camas and not enter the Aberdeen Drive property.
“As far as I know there is no one in that house,” Bond said.
“I’m excited for some peace and quiet now,” said James Bybee, who lives next door to the Aberdeen Drive property. “It’s going to be normal again.”
Marquiss is scheduled to appear in court Thursday for his arraignment.
