'Squatter's' bizarre excuse for living in half-million-dollar Colorado home without paying rent for a year after owner died without a will

A woman who claims she is not a squatter has been living in a half-million-dollar home in Colorado for more than a year without paying rent. 

Mecca Busey has resided in a 102-year-old home worth about $482,000 in Lakewood since the previous homeowner, who did not have a will, died in January 2023.

Though she is not listed on the lease, Busey told 9News that instead of a written lease, she has a 'verbal lease' with the homeowner's granddaughter, who told her that she can live in the home rent-free. 

Records revealed that the granddaughter, who has not been named, moved out of the home to live in a facility for people with disabilities just before her grandfather died. 

The granddaughter could possibly be the inheritor of the  property and now she  wants Busey to move out of the home. 

When asked if she is a squatter, Busey said: 'Absolutely not, I'm not a squatter.' 

Busey said that her husband used to work for the deceased homeowner and that the granddaughter agreed to let her live there if she made home improvements, with plans to later buy the property from her. 

The disabled granddaughter is considered a 'vulnerable adult,' who might not have the mental capability to make a decision like that, according to court and police records. 

Busey claims that she has invested more than $200,000 into renovations on the house, including cleaning up the yard and re-modeling the kitchen. 

'That's what I'm saying, I actually thought I was getting the house, or I would not have done that,' Busey said. 

She added that she felt completely blindsided by the granddaughter's request to leave the property. 

'I get here and I make it look nice and all of the sudden they want me out without even coming to talk to me,' Busey said. 

'I mean, this was a total sideswipe.' 

Records showed that neighbors have made allegations and called the police on Busey multiple times in the past year. 

The Lakewood Police Department responded to the home 19 times for complaints about code violations, 'unwanted party,' trespassing and harassment, 9News reported. 

In response to the neighbors' claims, Busey said: 'They’re saying things that are completely untrue. There has been no criminal activity here.' 

Busey said that she 'absolutely' regrets not getting a written lease for the home. 

In Colorado verbal leases can legally exist, but they only last for less than a year. Verbal leases are also harder to prove in court, leaving the argument to be made based on the credibility of the witnesses. 

Busey has at least two felony convictions of identity theft in the state.

In 2020, she was arrested after she was found in a vehicle with IDs, bank account paperwork and tax forms that belonged to 'up to 40 different identities,' court records showed.

During that arrest, Busey was on parole for a previous felony conviction. 

When confronted about her criminal history, Busey said that she isn't currently stealing anyone's identity, and she is who she says she is.

'This has nothing to do with that, and yes, I've done my time so I have no problem speaking on it,' Busey said. 

According to her LinkedIn, Busey is a Retail Merchandiser at SAS Retail Services. 

She said that she will vacate the house if she is legally forced out, but for now, she plans to fight for the home. 

Busey said: 'If things change and I can have the house, then absolutely, yeah. I want the house.'

A special administrator has been appointed to the case by the Jefferson County court system, and will assist in figuring out who the home belongs to.