When ten roommates became alarmed by strange noises emanating from their basement, they initially suspected a haunting. However, the eerie truth turned out to be far more unsettling.
In addition to the unsettling noises and alarms, the tenants discovered open drawers in the kitchen and bathroom, as well as lights turned on in unoccupied rooms.
Driven by curiosity and fear, they traced the sounds to the basement, where a locked door piqued their interest.
One of the housemates, Mark Hartman, recounted to ABC News how his roommate Brett, on multiple occasions, heard mysterious sounds in the basement but was always met with a locked door when attempting to investigate.
During a subsequent exploration of the basement, Brett was startled to encounter an unknown man.
Describing the encounter, Mark mentioned that Brett, understandably rattled, inquired about the man’s identity, to which the man, named Jeremy, offered little information before calmly exiting the house.
With the assistance of the authorities, the group of eight young men and two women managed to force open the locked door, revealing a fully furnished bedroom complete with personal belongings, photos, books, a television, and clothing.
The students from Ohio State University were astonished to learn that Jeremy had been residing in their basement without permission, gaining entry through a side door and eluding detection.
It was later discovered that Jeremy’s cousin had previously lived in the house, providing him with initial access.
This unsettling revelation occurred in Columbus, Ohio, in 2013.
The property management company, NorthSteppe Reality, promptly changed the locks upon Jeremy’s discovery. However, the tenants expressed concerns that the company had failed to notice the unauthorized occupancy.
A notice was posted at the residence by the landlord, urging Jeremy to contact them. He complied later that evening and removed his belongings from the room.
Jeremy had been utilizing a bathroom and sink in the basement for his needs, although the students believed he did not consume their food or enter their rooms.
Mark highlighted to The Lantern that the lack of lock changes and non-restrictive key duplication policies raised security issues, prompting the tenants to seek legal advice and potential rent discounts.
Despite the unsettling circumstances, Jeremy was described as a “nice enough guy” by another housemate, Jimmy Alderman, who acknowledged the potential dangers of the situation but expressed relief that it didn’t escalate further.
