They identified themselves as John and Joanne Johnson from Green Bay, Wis., when introduced to a local church in Palm Coast on January 22. They said they were new to the area and wanted to find a local church.
The couple claimed to be painters who had inherited millions of dollars by praying for a dying millionaire on his deathbed. They said they would not spend a penny of the money until they found the perfect church to tithe 10 percent of their windfall. They had no car and apparently none of the cash they claimed to have inherited, at least not yet, so members of the church hired them to paint their homes. The couple worked well as a team and customers were happy with their work.
When local Realtor Marsha Fingland hired them to paint her house, she offered the couple to stay at her house. Often times they were trusted to be left alone while painting. On, Saturday March 5, Fingland was working late at the real estate office in the Hammock and the couple was at her house. When she got home, she’d been robbed of her coin collection valued at $50,000 and other jewelry and possessions, and something had gone up in flames in her kitchen.
Charlotte Marten reports on Marsha’s story:
elaygee says
What silly people. If anyone tell you this story call the police immediately. It’s never true, it’s never been true and will never be true. Delusion, denial and self deception lead people to do stupid things
Insane says
Hopfefully these scum bags will be caught, and this woman will get her belongings back.
Justice for All says
Reminds me of the couple several years ago who showed up in Deltona claiming they were displaced by Hurricane Katrina. The local church got them a house, which they promptly flipped and disappeared.
Our high growth rate makes us easy to exploit because most of us moved here not knowing anyone and had to make friends through common interests. The bad guys can blend in pretty easy.
The best part of the story is the way Charlotte reported of it. Hopefully there is a quick follow up.