URGENT UPDATE: An award-winning independent filmmaker, Fidel Ruiz Healy, discovered his Santa Monica home ransacked by squatters upon returning from a work trip on September 16, 2025. The shocking incident highlights growing concerns over property safety in the area.
Healy, who had been in New York for over a week, immediately noticed his metal gate ajar—a sign that something was amiss. Upon entering his home, he was met with chaos: “Immediately walked in and my house was trashed,” Healy told KTLA’s Sara Welch. Every room was completely ransacked, with belongings scattered and even bottles of alcohol and knives found in his bed.
The intruders had clearly made themselves at home. “There was still fresh food, like coffee and donuts with receipts from earlier that day,” Healy recounted. The filmmaker estimates that the squatters had stayed multiple nights, evidenced by the sheer volume of items taken, including crucial camera equipment and hard drives containing much of his work.
As if the situation couldn’t get worse, Healy noted that the thieves even ventured beneath his home, ripping out valuable copper pipes. “It’s an old house, a lot of copper pipes, so they just started ripping pipes out of the ground,” he explained.
Following this disturbing discovery, Healy promptly contacted the police and secured his property. However, his troubles didn’t end there. A neighbor reported hearing someone attempting to re-enter the home later that night. “Whoever was here tried to come back to what I guess they assumed was their place to stay for a little while,” Healy said, reflecting on the unsettling ordeal.
Despite the distressing circumstances, Healy expressed gratitude for the outpouring of support from the artistic community. Friends have organized a GoFundMe to assist him in recovering from this traumatic experience. “I’m at a loss for words. It’s just great to be part of an artistic community that is there to support you,” he stated. “At the end of the day, it’s just stuff and I’m safe, but I would love to get as much of it back as I can.”
Healy did not have a security or surveillance system at his home, but he plans to make significant changes in light of this incident. The Santa Monica Police Department is currently investigating the break-in, with authorities urging residents to take proactive measures to enhance home security.
As this story develops, residents in Santa Monica are advised to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity. The emotional toll of such an invasion cannot be understated, highlighting the pressing issue of safety in the community.