What to Know
- Residents say two mansions owned by the same man have been targeted by spray-painting vandals in recent weeks.
- The mansions owned by the son of a MLB team owner have been abandoned for years.
- On Wednesday, officers arrested two people in connection with vandalism at one of the vacant homes.
Two people were arrested in connection with vandalism Wednesday at one of two abandoned Hollywood Hills mansions owned by the son of MLB team owner that became targets for taggers.
Officers assigned to a special detail at one of the defaced homes were on patrol Wednesday morning outside the residence in the 7500 block of Mulholland Drive when they received reports from residents about two vandals. The officers were told a man and woman had just spray-painted the property and left in a white Mercedes-Benz sedan.
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Officers found the car nearby. Two people inside were arrested.
Spray paint cans and a loaded unregistered firearm were found in one suspect's purse, police said. The suspects arrested Wednesday were identified by police as 35-year-old Jacob Smith, arrested on suspicious of vandalism, and 19-year-old Thomia Fagan, arrested on suspicion of possession of firearm in a vehicle.
Jail records did not indicate initial court dates. It was not immediately clear whether they have attorneys.
The hillside Mulholland Drive home overlooking Los Angeles is one of two owned by the son of the Philadelphia Phillies baseball team that have been abandoned for years. Neighbors said squatters moved in during that time and graffiti appeared on both mansions this month. Some reported seeing people run from the locations with foot stools, ladders, spray-paint and other items.
There was a dramatic difference in the state of the Mulholland Drive property Thursday after city crews removed graffiti that covered the multi-story structure earlier this week.
A Phillies spokesperson confirmed the properties are owned by John Powers Middleton with no other family involvement.
Records show John Powers Middleton bought the Mulholland Drive mansion in 2012. Then in October 2022, after it was declared a nuisance, the LA Department of Building and Safety said Middleton must build a fence and secure the property. When he didn’t, the city had to build the fence.
The four-story, six-bedroom mansion with a large pool is perched on a hillside overlooking Los Angeles with views to the east and south. All levels of the exterior and the roof of the home, built in 2003, were covered in graffiti. Many of the windows are shattered.
City workers placed fencing in front of the home earlier this week and Los Angeles Police Department officers were at the site.
The other eyesore mansion is in 1700 block of North Sunset Plaza Drive. The multi-story residence is about 5 miles south of the Mulholland Drive mansion.
In a statement to NBCLA, the owner of the home John Powers Middleton wrote:
I would like to apologize to the people of Los Angeles, and especially to my neighbors. What’s happened to the two properties I own is unacceptable, and no matter what caused it, I own the houses. I also want to set the record straight – a lot of the stories have left out important facts. Both houses have had a property manager and/or security in place, including drive-by security. We have caught or thwarted numerous break-in attempts, including graffiti trespassers at both houses. But the attackers, especially the squatters, have been relentless, and our security people were overwhelmed. I have now beefed up security - 24/7, armed - at both properties and have several painting and construction and other crews in both houses working to make repairs. I’m doing my best to make the houses secure and fix them up, with the intent to sell each as soon as possible. I’m disappointed to note that even as I have worked this week to paint over the graffiti, vandals still managed to break in and paint over the newly cleaned walls. Given the persistence of the numerous trespassers, it’s a struggle. What’s happened to my property is criminal and I hope everyone caught will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. No one in Los Angeles should have to put up with squatters and vandalism that are out of control. I will also repay any and all taxpayer funds used to gate, fence or board the houses and to pay all tax bills. I want to thank the city of Los Angeles for working with me to rectify this horrible situation.
Los Angeles Councilmember Nithya Raman's office said the owner of both properties is in "egregious violation of the law." The office has been in contact with police and the building and safety department.
"Our office has elevated the issue with the abandoned buildings unit at the Department of Building and Safety to ensure that the fullest extent of enforcement is being implemented urgently and swiftly," Raman's office said. "DBS has been on site at both locations to investigate, assess, and erect security measures.
"This is a public safety issue with serious consequences for both neighbors and the surrounding community. Irresponsible property owners must take accountability for their property or face action from the city."
