A Palm Bay nurse was arrested and booked into the Brevard County jail on Tuesday, accused of duping her terminally ill client into agreeing to sign over her vehicle and selling her residence for a tiny proportion of its value, according to authorities.
According to an affidavit for Duncan’s arrest warrant, Analisa Duncan, 53, had become focus of the investigation in early May when the Department of Children and Families got in touch with the Palm Bay Police Department about an elderly exploitation case.
The 71-year-old woman in Duncan’s care was outlined as “incapacitated” in the affidavit because of several symptoms physical and mental health difficulties, including bladder, spine, and brain cancer.
The woman told detectives she was diagnosed with terminal illness at the time she moved into Serenity Lifestyle Plus II, a Palm Bay aided living center and Duncan’s residence, at least a year before she was taken advantage of, according to police.
A doctor who examined the woman decided she completely lacks the mental capacity to make rational decisions about her house or to manage or give away her property.
The woman told authorities Duncan wanted to cut a deal in which they would sell their residences to each other, trying to explain that “she (Duncan) would come out ahead because it’s cheaper, somehow, to sell her my home,” as the caregiver made the claim that she wanted to “downsize.”
Duncan persuaded the woman to sell her 2300 square foot home for $175,000 and to sign “launch papers” to “get the ball rolling.” Regardless of the price the woman consented to, the papers would have authorized the sale of the woman’s home to Duncan for $50,000, according to the affidavit.
According to police, the woman paid $55,000 for the home in 1988, which is now worth more than $225,000 in today’s market.
Duncan’s lack of funds prevented the sale, police said. When police showed her these documents, she said she didn’t see or sign them.
Duncan convinced the woman to swap cars, but she didn’t get her home, police said.
The woman agreed to let Duncan test drive a 2019 Subaru she bought new, which led Duncan to enlist a friend who did contract work at the assisted living facility to request a duplicate title from the DMV.
The man told investigators he brought Duncan a power of attorney form without a notary. When given duplicate copies of the form at the DMV, the man claimed someone wrote “by POA” next to his signature and phone number.
The victim is no longer registered to her Subaru after the title was transferred to a Belleview man on May 4.
The victim’s attorney demanded the car from Duncan in a letter, but there was never a response. The car was last seen in Palm Bay on June 1.
Duncan is charged with grand theft auto and elder/disabled exploitation over $50,000.
