Special prosecutors dropped criminal charges two years ago, saying they planned to refile — but never did.

DALLAS — More than five years after his death, the estate of a retired Dallas schoolteacher remains entangled in a legal battle involving allegations of deed fraud.

Arnold Young’s niece, Audrey Hogg — executor of his estate — is being sued by a nonprofit seeking control of one of those properties.

“Oh, he would be absolutely angry, upset,” Hogg said.

The lawsuit, filed by My Mutual Freedom, demands ownership of a home on Magna Vista Drive in Dallas and seeks between $250,000 and $1 million in damages, according to court records.

“Unbelievable. How insane is this? I was stunned,” Hogg said.

The lawsuit stems from a yearslong dispute detailed in WFAA’s “Dirty Deeds” investigation, which involved allegations that a couple orchestrated a scheme to transfer ownership of multiple homes from Arnold Young to their nonprofit.

Young had meticulously outlined his wishes in a 2014 will, naming Hogg as executor and leaving his properties to family members. But within weeks of his death, Hogg discovered paperwork filed with Dallas County transferring ownership of nine homes valued at more than $1 million.

One property was transferred to a tenant. The other eight homes were signed over to a nonprofit called My Mutual Freedom.

The deeds were dated July 8, 2020 — about seven months before Young’s death at age 82 — but filed after he died.

Hogg said she immediately believed something was wrong.

She pointed to differences between Young’s signature on a 2017 check and the signatures on the deeds, which she says are not his.

The notary listed on the deeds is Belinda Tucker, who runs the nonprofit now suing the estate. Investigators previously told WFAA there was no evidence Tucker knew Young.

During the ensuing legal battle, judges have returned ownership of six of the eight homes from My Mutual Freedom to Young’s estate. The Magna Vista home was one of the six properties.

In the new lawsuit, My Mutual Freedom argues it is the rightful owner of the Magna Vista property and is asking a judge to “quiet title,” a legal process used to resolve competing ownership claims.

The filing claims Hogg has no legal right to the home and is improperly collecting rental income from it. It alleges she is receiving rent payments “to which the Defendant does not have a legal claim” and argues her actions have created a “cloud” on the property title.

The nonprofit is asking the court to declare it the lawful owner, remove competing claims, and award damages and attorney’s fees.

Hogg disputes those claims.

“Irate, upset,” she said when asked about the lawsuit.

Belinda Tucker was indicted in 2022 on two felony theft charges tied to the properties. Special prosecutors dismissed the case in early 2024, saying they planned to refile.

“I was told not to worry about it — we’re going to refile the case,” Hogg said.

The Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office — which took over the case after the Dallas County district attorney recused — did not respond to requests for comment.

Tucker previously denied wrongdoing, saying in a 2021 statement: “It must be explicitly understood that there is no deed fraud in my case.” She said she was a victim of false allegations. 

Hogg said the prolonged legal fight has cost more than $100,000 in legal fees. Despite that, she said walking away is not an option.

“You didn’t work for them. They’re not yours,” she said.

Last year, Texas lawmakers passed new measures targeting deed fraud, creating a specific criminal offense, extending the statute of limitations to up to 10 years and giving county clerks more authority to flag suspicious property filings. The laws also make it easier for victims to challenge fraudulent deeds in court and require notifications to property owners when documents affecting ownership are filed.

WFAA’s 2022 Dirty Deeds special is available on WFAA+. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to download our streaming app for free to your TV.