Dad Died, Girlfriend Is Claiming That His Belongings That I Removed From The Property Are Hers. Threatening Legal Action.
Hi, all. I will preface this with the fact that I have an appt with a lawyer later in the week.
My father passed away last week from a heart attack. His girlfriend was living at the house with him, and it turns out they were both HEAVY meth users.
She vacated the premises on her own free will and is staying with family. I did not tell her she isn't allowed there or anything like that. In fact, she told me she is getting all of her stuff out as soon as possible. I told her I would be coming by to pick up my father's things and sort through stuff. She claimed the house was "messy". She knew this was taking place and I had her 'permission' to do so.
When I got there I was appalled to see the living conditions. Worse than anything I had seen working two years as a junk hauler. The house was in absolute shambles. Multiple illegal renovations happened and the county disconnected the power multiple times due to them not paying and trying to illegally reconnect power. Thousands in damages etc and countless amounts of trash everywhere. and a door that would not close or lock. I also found large quantities of meth in the house which was disposed of due to advice from police.
After finding the conditions, she was notified that she needed to get her things out ASAP, as I have to hire a junk hauler to deal with the amount of shit in the house as well as contractors to fix the electrical and other damages. The house is currently uninhabitable and there are multiple notices from the county regarding the unpermitted "construction". THERE IS NO POWER OR WATER TO THE HOUSE.
While there, I had took my dad's tools. Many of them had his name literally written on them, or at minimum the tool bags they were in did. Many of these tools I had seen in his truck before or he showed me photos, etc. I removed them for fear not that she would take them, but that some other druggie who was in and out of the house would.
Upon returning to the house I found that all other valuable things were gone. TVs, air conditioners, all electronics, etc.
She is now claiming all of these tools were hers and she has receipts, etc. and is threatening legal action against me if I do not give her all of my dad's tools.
I was told by her brother that she had removed all of her belongings out of the house as of today, and so I boarded the place up to prevent a squatter situation with someone else. He gave me no push back on the matter as the doors were literally broken and incapable of closing.
My question is, am I fucked? Do I have to return this property that I know was my dad's? and also, due to the unfit living conditions, was boarding up the house not okay DESPITE. the fact that she moved out on her own accord?
TLDR: Dad passed away. House is in shambles. No power, no water, no door that locks or closes. Druggy girlfriend left the house on her own accord. I told her I was going to go collect my dad's belongings, I had "permission". She's now claiming the tools I took are hers and is threatening legal action. I also boarded up the house because the doors are legit broken and were left wide open so I need to avoid a squatter situation with someone else. Am I facing legit felony charges as she claims? Im in Oregon
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