HOUSTON – A Houston family is demanding charges for forgery and fraud after they say a home that’s been in the family since the 1960s was stolen and demolished.
The Kelley family held a press conference Thursday after filing a police report to call on law enforcement and prosecutors to bring criminal charges against Jerry Gurley and the notary who they say forged their signatures, stole their home, and left their lives in ruins.
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In 2017, the Kelley family-Audrey Brooks, Charles Kelley, Carl Kelley Jr., Vanessa Voldbakken, Tia Kelley, and Ronald Kelley inherited their late father and grandfather’s home.
“That was our family home,” said Vanessa Voldbakken. “My father raised five children, a host of grandchildren at that home. He was very proud as a Black man in the 60s to be a homeowner. My dad loved his property, he planted pear trees, pecan trees, fig trees, so he was culturally inspired to do something with the property.”
They said when they attempted to sell it, they rejected an offer from Gurley, who has been found civilly liable in the case.
Gurley did not answer a phone call or text message from KPRC 2 News on Thursday.
The family said Gurley forged their signatures on a deed, filed it in the public property records, and then sold the home to a third party with the help of the now-defunct Patriot Title Company.
“Patriot Title was the title company that you would go to if you wanted to do something fraudulent or you wanted to commit forgery or do anything fraudulent with real estate,” Kelley family attorney Jacob Scholl said.
In 2023, the Harris County Attorney’s Office opened a consumer fraud investigation of the title company and alleged that it repeatedly defrauding community members in real estate transaction.
“My sister called and asked ‘it’s been awhile, when are we going to closing,’” Voldbakken said. “The guy at Gurley’s office said, ‘you guys already closed,’ and my sister’s like, ‘no we haven’t closed’ and they guy said, ‘yeah, we have your signed and notarized document, the property has been sold to a third party.”
That third party reportedly bulldozed their home down, destroying decades of family photos, home videos, and irreplaceable heirlooms.
The Kelley family reached a settlement with Gurley earlier this year, and last month, a judge signed a $200,000 judgement against Gurley. But the family said they haven’t seen any of the money.
With pre- and post-judgment interest, the amount he owes now reportedly totals $280,000.
“That legacy has been erased. All of our family heirlooms, family mementos have been destroyed. And we want justice,” Voldbakken said.
Attorney Chris Di Ferrante, who represented Gurley in the civil matter, declined to comment when reached by phone Thursday.
The family says Gurley has several other judgments against him in other cases.
“This is a legacy for our entire family,” Voldbakken said. “It took a lot of our dad to pay for a house, raising five kids and my mom was a house wife. So it’s a slap in the face when no one can step up and say, ‘Hey, we’re going to make him pay financially,’ because I’m sure he has the means to pay. This guy has swindled enough people -- why can’t he be held accountable?”
