Thread: what a "killer" inspection

O.K.
Can anyone guess what these pictures show?

The first shows a shotgun blast to a bedroom wall.
Beside the impact are a set of bi-folding closet doors covered with splatter stains of something.
The hardwood floors have big dark stains in a few places also.

The same bedroom door has another blast as seen in the second picture that went through the door and into the hall wall as seen in the third picture.

What I didn't show was a single bullet hole (probably a handgun) in the front living room door, and another in a rear bedroom wall.

The house is now vacant and the seller lives in NY.

Of course, the Realtor didn't know anything about it.

Don't you love these kinds of inspections, especially when your by yourself in a not so friendly neighborhood?

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Wes,

The first pic is questionable as to being a shotgun blast.

First of all the texture wouldn't be laying on the floor in front of the entry as such. It is my opinion that maybe the shot (if it was a shot) came from the other side of the wall. Did you see anything on the other side such as pellets in the drywall?

I've seen a number of gun shots in a home before and none have looked quite as those. Most shotgun blasts would leave a much bigger hole in drywall.

Years ago, I worked for Dalllas PD in the Property division. We used to go out and secure homes or businesses where violent crimes had taken place and document such things such as gunshots. We would be there to help the detectives or forensic investigations. We would help collect evidence to be held in the Properties Division Wearhouse to be used as evidence for future investigations or trials. It was kind of like CSI in its early days you might say.

Those marks on the wall do not look like typical spatter marks seen with a shotgun in my experience. Not saying they could not be, just not of what I've seen. Weapons have changed a lot in the last 20 years, so anything is possible.

At first I wasn't sure until I looked up in the hole and saw bird shot.
It wasn't buck shot or it would have made a bigger mess.

The debris on the floor is tape that someone tried to cover the hole with and I pulled it off to investigate.

The one through the door lines up with the hallway holes.

The shot could have been fired by a a .410 (a small shotgun). They could also have been fired by pistol with a cartridge loaded with bird shot. You can buy these shells in .38 Special and .44 Magnum. They are often used for shooting snakes and varmints.

They are often used for shooting snakes and varmints.

You mean someone shot the Realtors?

don't you know bird shot does not work on realtors? For that you need an Elephant Gun!

About 5 or 6 years ago, I have an inspection booked for New Years Day. I show up and the young man meets me there and tells me he is going to fix up his dad's old home and sell it. We do the introductions, discuss expectations and what's going to happen from beginning to end, then I go about inspecting the home.

Exterior has deferred maintenance (big time) and the roof is old and needs replacing. I finish up on the exterior go thru the garage and do the panel, garage door, attic entry and so-forth...

To the interior I go...

I prep the kitchen; dishwasher, oven, etc.. and go to do a visual walk-around of the walls, ceilings and flooring to observe for settlement and so-forth. As I get to the middle bedroom, the carpeting/padding is gone, exposing only the slab. Well, sorta. In the middle of the room is a 4' x 8' section of plywood on the flooring. Now... being the inquisitive type and this plywood not being 'fixed' in-place, I go and lift the plywood to observe the condition of the slab--HUGE MISTAKE!!!

I'll digress a bit. Upon entry of the home, there was a funny, old-man type smell in the home that kinda went with the story of the son going to fix up his dad's old home and selling-it. Anyway...

I picked up the plywood and the most god awful death-pool of bodily fluids was present but dried-up. The staining on the slab was permanent, the bodily fluids on the plywood had soaked in and the *STINCH* was f@(k!n putrid. I threw the plywood down, then double-timed out of the home and find the son and his co-hort. Upon looking at me coming toward him, he just smiles and says, "Oh, I see you found my dad"

I "kindly" telly him, "Gawd-damn-it man! You could have at least had the decency to fore-warn me of this before the inspection!!". He just chuckled and said, don't worry, I'll make it worth your while...

I said, "F-that! That fricking scene will be permanently imprinted in my mind and that smell may never leave me. I just can't believe you didn't say anything..."

The son says, "What had happened was my dad died, fell on the floor and decayed right there. No one, myself included, was within 500 miles of this place. We, nor did anyone found him for 6 months!"

I just said, "Yep, nothing like keeping in touch with family when they need ya!!"

The guy wrote the check for double the invoice. But you know what.... That wasn't nearly e'nuff.

I'm writing this wanting to wash my hands and scratch my eyes out from having seen and remembering that sight...

Sometimes no amount of money is enough.

Rich,

I know that smell all to well. Still catch a whiff every once in a while knowingly its really not no where around.

We used to soak hankercheifs in a cologne made by Avon called Wild Country when we had to walk in on those who had passed. It was the only thing that seemed to even attempt to mask that smell.

Once you've smelled it, you don't forget it.

Rick

Boy, that's for sure!!

Avon-- Wild Country! Now you are dating yourself.. I'd bet Jerry still wears that stuff (either that or English Leather).

He probably wears High Karate. Remember that one.

Santa's List

Two of dad's vintage bottles of Old Spice one for Rich and one for Rick

I once picked up a girl that smelled just like... oh, never mind

Originally Posted by Rick Hurst

He probably wears High Karate. Remember that one.

At least years golf outing, the other guys were giving me grief because I wear "Drakkar". It least that is from the 80s!

Originally Posted by BARRY ADAIR

Santa's List

Two of dad's vintage bottles of Old Spice one for Rich and one for Rick

I once picked up a girl that smelled just like... oh, never mind

Put me on the list. I still use old Spice pit stop.

And I hope you got that missing cover plate at the receptacle too!

Originally Posted by Rick Hurst

He probably wears High Karate. Remember that one.

ha, I remember that stuff.

My personal fav. is still Old Spice. It's cheap but I love that stuff. It reminds me of sweet potato pie or something.yummm...

Speaking of rancid smells. I hate when a fridge has been turned off for a while and the meat products were left in. It's the kinda smell that burns the nose hairs.

Originally Posted by Eric Van De Ven

At least years golf outing, the other guys were giving me grief because I wear "Drakkar". It least that is from the 80s!

I used to occasionally wear Drakkar when going out until I made a connection that my new girlfriend would get made at me and pick a fight every time I wore it. Turns out, one of her old boyfriends wore it and it was a subconscious reminder. Stopped wearing all colognes after that.