Wanda Jackson, a retired teacher from Houston, Texas, has found herself in a heartbreaking situation after being forced to leave her home of over four decades. The story of Jackson’s eviction reveals a complex tale of deception that has left her feeling angry and betrayed.
Jackson’s ordeal began a few years ago when her aging home was in need of repairs. A church friend recommended a man named Malcom Pryor, who promised to fix her house. Jackson paid for several major repairs out of her own pocket during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, she fell seriously ill in 2021 and doesn’t remember much from that period, including signing any documents with Pryor.
Property records tell a different story. On August 12, 2022, Pryor claimed that Jackson had not paid for all the repairs and filed a mechanic’s lien on her house through his company, SDP Development. Just one month later, on September 14, 2022, Jackson unknowingly deeded her property to South Victory Group, LLC, also owned by Pryor. Unbeknownst to Jackson, Pryor sold the house to James L. Mayer on September 14, 2022, for $50,000. Then, on February 2, 2023, Mayer sold the house back to Pryor’s company for $262,500. However, Pryor never made a payment on the loan he took out to purchase the house, and within two months, the house was foreclosed on and Jackson was forced to leave.
The timeline of these transactions is highly unusual and suspicious, according to real estate expert Bill Baldwin. In his decades-long career, he has never seen such a rapid series of ownership changes and evictions. Typically, foreclosures would take much longer to process, but in Jackson’s case, she received a card in April 2023 informing her of the foreclosure and her need to move out. Shocked and devastated, Jackson hired an attorney and went to eviction court, but it was too late.
Unfortunately, these types of house scams disproportionately affect the elderly, who are often targeted due to their vulnerability and potential lack of family support. The financial crimes division of the Houston Police Department acknowledges this issue, but investigating and resolving cases like Jackson’s can take a significant amount of time.
ABC13 attempted to reach out to the individuals involved in the property records, but their efforts were largely unsuccessful. Pryor was never found at his home, and Mayer, who bought and sold Jackson’s house, declined to speak on camera. However, he acknowledged that had he known about the questionable circumstances surrounding the house, he would not have gone through with the deal.
Noble Mortgage, the company that financed Pryor’s purchase of the house, admitted that in retrospect, the timeline of events raised concerns. They did not realize anything was amiss at the time of the transaction.
For Jackson, the situation is devastating. Her former home has already been sold to another investor, and she is left hoping for a chance to return. To make matters worse, Pryor also promised to repair her deceased mother’s house in Marshall, Texas, but Jackson lost that property as well through a similar series of deceptive steps.
As of now, the Houston Police Department is investigating the case, but there is no guarantee of criminal charges or a resolution in sight. Meanwhile, Jackson remains stuck in an apartment, with her cherished belongings stored in a unit she can no longer afford. The possibility of losing those belongings looms over her as she navigates this distressing situation.
Wanda Jackson’s story highlights the importance of protecting vulnerable individuals from scams and deceitful practices. It serves as a reminder that there are unscrupulous individuals out there willing to take advantage of others for personal gain. The hope now is that justice will be served, and Jackson will find some solace and resolution after enduring a traumatic experience in her golden years.
