Man Arrested After Ark. Couple Finds Stranger Living in Basement of Their Home

A college professor and his wife made a startling discovery in their own home when they found an unknown individual living in their basement. The incident came to light on April 29 when Preston Scott Landis, a 41-year-old man, was arrested on charges of residential burglary and theft of property in Searcy, Arkansas.

Dutch Hoggatt, who teaches at Harding University, and his wife Sharon first noticed signs that something was amiss in their home. Hoggatt reported that items were being moved around and food supplies were dwindling. “We noticed that some of our food was missing,” he stated in an interview with local news outlet KTVB. In addition to the missing food, the couple’s daughter, Cherisse, recounted that some of their pastries seemed to have been consumed in their absence, alongside an apple.

Concerned about the situation, Sharon, along with Cherisse and her husband Mark Gregory, began to investigate the strange happenings around the house. Their inquiries led them to the storage area beneath the basement stairs, where they uncovered the unsettling truth.

“I could see that she was freaked out,” Gregory explained. Upon entering the room, he noticed a pair of jeans belonging to Landis, which led him to suspect that someone was lurking there. Armed with a baseball bat, Gregory confronted the intruder, demanding that he come out. “I started hitting the door frame to get a reaction,” he added. It was only a matter of moments before Landis complied and emerged from his hiding place.

Following the confrontation, Landis was taken into custody by authorities. Reports indicate that he had sought refuge in the Hoggatt family’s home after severe weather swept through the area. While it is clear that Landis entered the home unlawfully, Gregory expressed a degree of sympathy towards him, acknowledging the difficult circumstances that may have led to his actions. “I kind of felt bad for him,” Gregory remarked. “I knew what he did was wrong, but he was struggling with things.”

According to the couple, Landis had initially sought shelter in a crawl space on April 27 before moving into the basement the following day. He had managed to enter the home during a time when the door was unlocked, which temporarily left the family in a precarious situation. Hoggatt, reflecting on the incident, shared that he holds no animosity towards Landis. “I feel sorry for the man,” he stated, relieved that the ordeal was resolved quickly. “I’m glad we figured out there was somebody living in the house because this could have gone on for much longer than it did.”

Cherisse, the couple’s daughter, reported that Landis expressed his regrets before leaving their home. “He did say, ‘tell your folks that I’m really sorry and they seem like really nice people,’” she recalled, adding a note of irony to the situation given the circumstances.

This case has drawn attention to the need for awareness regarding personal safety and the importance of securing one’s home, particularly in light of unexpected weather events that may lead individuals to seek shelter. While the Hoggatts are relieved to have resolved the matter without harm, it serves as an unsettling reminder of how quickly one’s sense of safety can be compromised.

Law enforcement continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding Landis’ living situation and his motivations for entering the Hoggatt home. The community is left pondering the balance between compassion and security in the face of such incidents. As for the Hoggatts, they remain hopeful that this unusual encounter will serve as a cautionary tale for others.