ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — DeShawn Williams spent 10 seasons in the NFL, playing for three teams.
The memorabilia he collected along the way. Helmets and jerseys he hoped to pass down to his son are now at the center of a lawsuit filed earlier this month in Pinellas County Circuit Court.
WATCH: Former NFL player says contractors took memorabilia from his hurricane-damaged home
Williams and his wife, Ashlee, say contractors hired by their mortgage company entered their Shore Acres home without permission after Hurricane Helene and removed personal property, including game-used NFL memorabilia that later appeared for sale on Facebook Marketplace.
Hurricane Helene damage forced the couple out of their home
Hurricane Helene left the Williamses' Shore Acres home with significant flood damage.
"We took on four feet of water throughout the whole house," Ashlee said.
The couple moved out while repairs were underway, storing what they could in their locked garage.
DeShawn recently began coaching for the Oklahoma Sooners, and the couple spoke about the situation via Zoom from Oklahoma.
Contractors entered the home without permission
DeShawn and Ashlee say they first learned someone had been inside their home when they received an unexpected message.
"He got a message two months ago saying we could have your dog's ashes. We can send them to you. We were cleaning out your house," Ashlee said.
The ashes were the remains of the family’s dog Gucci, who died at age 16.
The message came from Devin Hooper, an employee of Colvin Inspections, which is owned by her then-boyfriend David Colvin.
According to the lawsuit, the couple's mortgage company hired Solid Foundation Properties LLC, which subcontracted Colvin Inspections to inspect and "preserve" the property.
Attorney Matt Weidner, who represents the Williams family, said the arrangement does not give contractors the right to enter a home without the owner's knowledge.
"They call it securing the property or winterizing the property. But in fact, they're just entering into a property and violating a homeowner's security," Weidner said.
Weidner also noted that they were current on their mortgage.
NFL memorabilia appeared for sale online
The lawsuit alleges Hooper listed DeShawn's Broncos helmet for sale for $800 and his Bengals jersey for $200 on Facebook Marketplace.
A friend in Tampa alerted the couple after spotting the jersey listed online.
"It's actually property owned by the NFL, but lo and behold, he finds it being sold online," Weidner said.
For DeShawn, the items represent more than their dollar value.
"A lot because, you know, it's my hard work. Something that I can pass down to my son," DeShawn said.
When DeShawn confronted Hooper in a direct message, she responded: "I'm sorry I can't speak on behalf of this as your wife immediately out of the gate started threatening with legal."
According to the lawsuit, the mortgage company "disavowed all responsibility for the actions" and advised the couple to "simply file a police report."
Contractors allegedly returned to the property after locks were changed
DeShawn and Ashlee say neighbors reported that people continued breaking into their home even after their locks were changed.
Weidner called the police and recorded video of David Colvin on the Williamses' property after neighbors alerted the family that Colvin had returned with a truck and trailer.
"They can literally catch them in the act, and oftentimes the police will just leave and won't provide any assistance to the homeowner," Weidner said.
"They'll say this is between you and your bank," Weidner said.
Contractors were difficult to locate
David Colvin did not return calls or emails seeking comment.
The address listed on the Colvin Inspections website led to a rented mailbox inside a UPS Store.
A house in Ruskin, listed in state records as the location of Colvin Inspections, was found empty and undergoing renovations.
Neighbors said both Colvin and Hooper moved out.
We reached Hooper on Facebook Messenger and asked for her side of the story.
She said she would consult her legal team, but days later, when we followed up, she said, "No, I'm good."
St. Petersburg Police say the case is under investigation and nobody has been charged.
The Williamses want their property returned
Weidner said the law is clear.
"You certainly don't have any right to take their personal property, and you darn sure don't have any right to be selling their property online," Weidner said.
The Williamses hope their court fight will help bring their property home. Ashlee has a message for whoever has it.
"I would want to tell them to do the right thing because I don't think they have so far," Ashlee said.
Share Your Story with Adam
Adam Walser has spent more than a decade fighting for what’s right in Tampa Bay as part of the I-Team. He’s helped expose flaws in Florida’s eldercare system and held leaders accountable for questionable HOA practices. Reach out to Adam with any issue you think he needs to investigate.
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