At least, it shouldn't. Brian Louis Sguros, 35, formerly of the Lauderhill Police Department, said he decided to take ownership of the home to prevent squatters. He found the body of Dennis West on July 11, 2022. He paid taxes and utilities under West’s name. It’s a bizarre tale. Sguros took over the home like a pod person in August 2022 (via NBC News):
Dennis West was found dead in his Florida home during a welfare check in July 2022. Weeks later, one of the officers who discovered his body took possession of the property unlawfully and spent years renovating and impersonating him, according to investigators and police documents.
Brian Louis Sguros, 35, an officer with the Lauderhill Police Department, was arrested Tuesday on felony charges of official misconduct, criminal use of a deceased person’s identification, criminal use of personal identification information, offense against a computer user and unlawful use of a two-way communications device.
It’s not clear whether Sguros has an attorney.
The Broward County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release that Sguros responded to the welfare check at West’s home on July 11, 2022. West, 71, was found dead inside.
[…]
In sworn statements through civil pleadings, Sguros maintained that he took possession of the property and acted because it was hazardous and he wanted to prevent criminal activity and people from squatting, the affidavit said.
[…]
Sguros presented himself to the medical examiner’s office as West’s friend, though there is no indication that Sguros knew West, according to the sheriff’s office. He also told the office that West had no living family, which was untrue, authorities said.
[…]
The investigation found that Sguros had conducted multiple searches within law enforcement databases from his work computer for West’s driver’s license record, the arrest affidavit said. Those searches disclosed West’s address, date of birth, Social Security number and other information, according to the filing.
Sguros is accused of using West’s identification to “get the city of Lauderhill to issue a permit to facilitate repairs,” the release said. He is alleged to have forged West’s signature on the permit application, but the telephone number listed was his own, the arrest affidavit said.
A project manager for a company contracted to replace exterior doors and windows at West’s home in 2024 told police he had no idea West was dead at the time of the work and recalled Sguros’ telling him West was “unavailable.”
In February 2025, Sguros and his spouse filed a form with the Broward County Property Appraiser seeking to establish a claim to the home, according to the affidavit.
The home takeover came to light when a real estate company bought the property from West’s heirs months later, the arrest affidavit said.
My mom used to watch that Trading Places show on TLC way back in the day. This is the cracked-out version, I guess.
Lordy.