Woman arrested, accused of illegally renting out home she doesn’t own
By Madison Monroe Adams
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CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Florida (WBBH) — The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office arrested a woman after she was accused of renting out someone else’s home.
Cori Carmichael was arrested last Thursday, and she is facing charges for grand theft.
Khiana Mace’s life was disrupted in 2024 when her childhood home in Punta Gorda was destroyed by multiple hurricanes, forcing her to move in with a friend. “We lost everything,” Mace said.
In August, she managed to get back on her feet by signing a lease for a duplex on Cristobal Avenue in Deep Creek. “It took us a while to get the help and assistance,” she said. “It’s been very hard.”
Nearly two months after moving in, the property manager discovered someone was living in the home during an inspection and called 911. Charlotte County deputies arrived at Mace’s door, questioning why she was in a home that didn’t belong to her.
“I kind of was like. What? Like, I was confused. I was like, why are you here? Like, why y’all messing with us?” Mace said.
She showed officers her lease, only to learn that the woman who rented her the home, Cori Carmichael, had no legal right to do so and had collected thousands of dollars in rent. Deputies said Carmichael does not own the home and was only given permission to clean and list it by the homeowner.
Now, Mace says the real property manager is suing to evict her.
“I am so scared to open our door because you never know if you’re gonna get thrown out for no reason,” she said. Mace has tried to contact the actual homeowner, hoping to stay, but says she hasn’t received a response.
“It’s really upset me,” she said. “It’s just very traumatizing because, like I said, nobody should have to worry about laying their head down at night and being forced out of their home or the place that they rent, which they consider their home.”
Khiana Mace’s life was disrupted in 2024 when her childhood home in Punta Gorda was destroyed by multiple hurricanes, forcing her to move in with a friend. “We lost everything,” Mace said.
In August, she managed to get back on her feet by signing a lease for a duplex on Cristobal Avenue in Deep Creek. “It took us a while to get the help and assistance,” she said. “It’s been very hard.”
Nearly two months after moving in, the property manager discovered someone was living in the home during an inspection and called 911. Charlotte County deputies arrived at Mace’s door, questioning why she was in a home that didn’t belong to her.
“I kind of was like. What? Like, I was confused. I was like, why are you here? Like, why y’all messing with us?” Mace said.
She showed officers her lease, only to learn that the woman who rented her the home, Cori Carmichael, had no legal right to do so and had collected thousands of dollars in rent. Deputies said Carmichael does not own the home and was only given permission to clean and list it by the homeowner.
Now, Mace says the real property manager is suing to evict her.
“I am so scared to open our door because you never know if you’re gonna get thrown out for no reason,” she said. Mace has tried to contact the actual homeowner, hoping to stay, but says she hasn’t received a response.
“It’s really upset me,” she said. “It’s just very traumatizing because, like I said, nobody should have to worry about laying their head down at night and being forced out of their home or the place that they rent, which they consider their home.”
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