‘Serial squatter’ gets 20 years in jail after Dallas prosecutors dust off rarely used Texas law — finally ending spree

A woman referred to as a " serial squatter " by authorities was sentenced to 20 years in prison for fraud after being evicted nearly three dozen times under multiple aliases.

Heather Ruybal was found guilty of felony fraud after using her father's name and writing a bad check to rent a house in 2023 in Rowlett, Texas, just outside of Dallas. She never paid any rent, left the property reeking of urine and cigarettes, and littered it with trash.

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She was given the maximum sentence on Aug. 31 and ordered to pay $40,000 in restitution to the victim, Jessica Davis, who rented the property through Zillow — and ended up losing the home after she wasn't able to make mortgage payments.

A previous landlord of Ruybal's in Colorado, Stephanie Williams, told Denver7 that she allegedly contaminated her property with methamphetamine in 2024. While she was paying rent (at first), she stopped, moved out and had her son move in without permission.

"This is what she did for a living — moved into individuals' homes knowing that she wasn't going to pay her rent, then exploit the eviction process," Dallas County Assistant District Attorney Amber Moore told Denver7, which covered the news of Ruybal's sentence. Moore added that she had "no remorse."

Texas prosecutors discovered that Ruybal had a history spanning nearly three dozen evictions over more than two decades, while using her father's and aunt's identities. As a result, they were able to bump up the legal repercussions.

"We wanted the court to make sure the judge understands that she's basically a career criminal," Moore said. "I hope it sends a message that her time is up. No longer is she going to be able to do something like this and get away with it."

Ruybal was previously sentenced to six years in prison in 2018 for pulling the same scam with two properties in Adams County, Colorado, but she was released in 2020 after serving just 16 months of her sentence, according to the NY Post . She has used various aliases during her previous squatting scams, including "Jenkins" and "Rayes."

Ruybal is likely to serve at least five years of her 20-year sentence in Dallas. After that, she may become eligible for parole. She is also facing felony charges in Denver for allegedly stealing more than $500,000 from a former employer.