COBB COUNTY, Ga. — Police are investigating a mortgage fraud case that is tied to the disappearance of a Cobb County man.
The family of Ted Harris told Channel 2 Cobb County Bureau Chief Michele Newell that they were concerned about his whereabouts after they found out his house had been sold.
According to the arrest warrant, Kenneth Harris, the man’s brother, is charged with Identity theft fraud and residential mortgage fraud.
According to the warrant, police said Kenneth Harris negotiated the sale of his brother’s house by convincing both buying and selling parties that he was his brother Ted Harris, even showing both parties Ted’s driver’s license.
Ted Harris’ family told Newell they haven’t heard from him since January, but said that isn’t unusual. They began raising questions when they discovered his house had been sold.
On Ponderosa Lane, neighbors know enough about one another to know when something seems off.
The Davises, who live next door, told Newell they know Ted Harris as the friendly neighbor who takes pride in his garden.
“He’s great. He brings us his garden. He grows like veggies and stuff. He brings us some of his garden. He had like a big, massive thing of noodles he brought some noodles over to us. He kind of helped everybody out with his extras,” Denyel Davis said.
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They noticed Harris stopped caring for his yard and garden like he used to.
“I thought it was odd because he usually mows his lawn,” Julia Davis said.
Neighbors thought it was strange when they noticed a professional crew mowing Ted Harris’ lawn, and they said they even saw a landscaper on the property, which is unusual because those are things he did on his own.
They had even more questions when they noticed his house up for sale.
“It looked like it was a little ‘for sale’ sign in the front of the yard, right over there. It was just up one day and shortly after it was down,” Denyel Davis said.
According to the warrant, Ted Harris’ house sale was finalized on April 7. His family filed a missing persons report on April 10, after they discovered the house had been sold.
According to jail records, police arrested Ted Harris’ brother, Kenneth, on April 11 on charges of identity theft, fraud, and mortgage fraud.
Neighbors told Newell they were just as fooled until they recently learned about Ted Harris’ disappearance.
“I thought his brother was him. They look a lot alike. I thought that was him,” Julia Davis said.
But they said they noticed he was closed off and didn’t talk as much.
“He was in the backyard, and he was doing the fire. He was just in the backyard all day. He didn’t really like talk, like he didn’t really say anything,” Julia Davis said.
Neighbors and Ted Harris’ family hope he resurfaces soon.
“He’s a good guy. What I know of, he’s a good guy. They need to find him for that family,” Denyel Davis said.
They also want to know how Harris’ brother managed to sell a house he didn’t own.
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