Rep. Antonio Parkinson, residents speak out after couple attempts to steal dead woman’s home

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - The Memphis Police Department has arrested and charged a couple accused of stealing the home of a deceased person.

On the evening of Nov. 19, an officer at the Raines Station received a walk-in complaint from a woman who said the house of her deceased mother, located on Delta Road, had been taken through a questionable transfer.

The woman identified herself as a child of the property owner, who has reportedly been deceased since 2019.

According to the MPD report, the woman told investigators that an individual she does not know allegedly filed an affidavit as to heirs with the Shelby County Register’s Office claiming to be a child of the deceased owner.

That person is said to have subsequently executed a quitclaim deed that transferred the property to a woman later identified as Shterrya Cooksey, one of the suspects.

Upon further investigation, officers developed two suspects in connection with the property transfer: the transferee listed in the reports as Shterrya Cooksey and a second suspect, Paul Dowdy.

Cooksey and Dowdy are now both in custody and are being held on bond; Dowdy’s bond is set at $150,000 while Cooksey’s bond is set at $5,000.

The case has angered residents in the South Memphis community where the alleged fraud occurred; Action News 5’s Jared Thomas spoke with Rep. Antonio Parkinson and neighbors of the deceased homeowner.

“It makes me angry, it makes me almost livid,” said Allison Conley, a resident on Delta Road. “What gives you the right to just take something you didn’t work for?”

Deantye Bacon, another resident, said the case surprised him.

“It surprises me a little bit because it’s like never thought something like that would happen around at least in this neighborhood,” Bacon said.

Cases like this are why State Representative Antonio Parkinson is pushing for changes to Tennessee law, where it doesn’t require a photo ID when transferring property.

“This is a families biggest investment in most cases and it is their gateway to generational wealth,” said Parkinson, who represents District 98.

Parkinson said it’s a growing problem the country is facing.

“There are people that are literally scanning the obituaries to see who has died coming up with fraudulent quit claim deeds and literally stealing property from families,” he said.

The National Association of Realtors says these scams are becoming more common in central cities and suburban areas. The Northeast has the highest percentage at 92 percent, while the South and West are tied at 59 percent and the Midwest at 53 percent.

The case has left some residents concerned about their own property.

“It does make me worry because I don’t want stuff like that happening to my house being frauded over,” Bacon said.

Conley said she wishes people would redirect their efforts.

“I wish people would put all of this motivation that they put toward fraud and stealing people property towards doing something good in the world,” she said.

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