Sophia residents suffer $30,000 loss after eviction

SOPHIA, WV (LOOTPRESS) – Two people who were evicted from a property retaliated and destroyed the property costing nearly $20,000, stole over $11,000 worth of personal items, and threatened to kill a family member.

On June 14, 2024, a West Virginia State Police trooper at the Beckley Detachment received a disturbing complaint from a couple regarding the destruction of their property and the theft of numerous personal items from their residence at 141 White Pine Lane in the Sophia area of Raleigh County. The couple had previously evicted the defendants, Michael Cutright and Claudette Smith, from the property on May 20th after they refused to cooperate and had to be forcefully removed by the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department. However, when the homeowners returned to their home after the eviction, they were horrified to discover the extent of the damage left behind by the uncooperative tenants.

The trooper who responded to the couple’s complaint observed firsthand the severe and widespread destruction of the property. Sheetrock had been ripped off the walls, garage doors were smashed, storm doors were ruined, and holes had been punched through the drywall. Ceiling fans had been torn from the ceiling, windows were broken, and the handrailings were torn down, among various other acts of vandalism. In total, the cost to repair all the damages was estimated at a staggering $19,750. But the couples’ losses went beyond just property damage – many of their personal belongings had also been stolen, including a Harley Davidson headlight, an oak table, and a large quantity of valuable antique car parts worth over $11,000.

The couple informed the trooper that Cutright had directly threatened them multiple times when he was served the eviction papers, warning that he was part of two motorcycle gangs and would kill their son if they caused him any “trouble.” Given that the defendants were the only ones who had access to the property, the couples were convinced that Cutright and Smith were responsible for the destruction and theft. This brazen act of retaliation and malicious damage has left the family violated and devastated, and they are now seeking justice through the legal system for the significant financial and emotional toll inflicted upon them.