Two women accused of causing over $5,000 in damage and stealing $2,500 in items from an Airbnb they rented in Lewis County earlier this year are facing felony charges in Lewis County Superior Court.
Leigh Ann Vera, 58, of Kelso, and Shequoia Lynn Anderson, 35, of Longview, were each charged March 31 with one count of first-degree malicious mischief and one count of second-degree theft after an Airbnb host reported “apparent intentional damage and theft of items from the cabin” the women rented between Jan. 1 and Feb. 12, according to court documents.
The women reportedly attempted to extend their rental period, but lacked the funds to reserve time past their original booking.
The Airbnb host reported the damage and theft to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office after the women vacated the cabin on Feb. 12.
Damage to the cabin included trash, dirty dishes, debris and other clutter spread around the cabin, furniture out of place, stained rugs and flooring covered in animal feces, according to court documents.
Items stolen from the cabin included outdoor chairs, a gaming console, a telescope, tools and “several other items,” according to court documents.
The total estimated value of the stolen items was $2,500 and estimated damage to the cabin was over $5,000, according to court documents.
When questioned by a Lewis County Sheriff’s Office deputy at Vera’s Kelso residence, Vera and Anderson reportedly said they had paid for an additional month but were told to move out before the payment was posted. They reportedly said they “were given short notice to move out” and said they didn’t have time to rent a truck to remove their belongings from the cabin.
“They denied taking any property that did not belong to them and only took what could fit into their vehicles,” according to court documents.
The women reportedly “advised that if they knew they were going to have to move out, the cabin would have been cleaned,” according to court documents.
Vera and Anderson were each issued summons notices on March 31 for April 22 preliminary hearings, which they were both present for.
All parties agreed Tuesday to allow Vera and Anderson to remain out of custody on their own personal recognizance for the duration of their cases.
Arraignment hearings are scheduled for Thursday, May 8.
