A Clermont trailer and vehicle were heavily damaged by what investigators believe was heavy equipment early Friday morning, leaving behind a scene described by neighbors as “unbelievable” and a spray-painted message that deputies say appeared to be personal in nature.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office said deputies responded to a vandalism call around 7 a.m. Friday near Pine Island and Monte Vista roads.

“It appeared that both sides of the residence were struck by heavy equipment,” the agency said. A Ford Expedition at the property also had a smashed roof and broken windows.

On one side of the home, a message was spray-painted that included a man’s name and the words “you (expletive) with the wrong girl.” Lake County Crime Scene detectives spent most of the morning investigating, and the Sheriff’s Office said no suspect has been identified. Charges in the case would be criminal mischief.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office has now also confirmed that the homeowner, identified as Nicole Griner, is considered a missing person. According to deputies, Griner, 45, is 5 feet 5 inches tall, weighs approximately 170 pounds, and has blonde hair and brown eyes. Investigators said her heavily vandalized residence in the Pine Island area of unincorporated Clermont was discovered on July 25, and while her vehicle was present, she was not. Griner was last seen on July 24 with her boyfriend, Nickolis Dewitt, 33, traveling in an olive-green diesel pick-up truck. Authorities said it is unknown if they are still in that vehicle. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Lake County Sheriff’s Office at 352-343-2101 or email tips@lcso.org.

Style reporter Roxanne Brown headed to the scene. 

A neighbor who lives down the street, who did not want to be identified, said she was shocked by what she saw.

“Last night, the trailer was fine and this morning, it was destroyed,” she says. “I can’t believe no one was home and that no one noticed this going on or heard anything.”

The neighbor also described the trailer’s arrival about a year ago as unusual.

“It was weird when the trailer arrived. It’s like one night there was nothing on that property and the next morning, it was there,” she says, adding that whoever lives there, just recently did a lot of work to the trailer to make it look better.

A couple who also asked to remain anonymous drove by to see the damage Friday afternoon. They said they knew the woman who owns the trailer.

“She has 3 kids that live there with her,” the couple said, adding that their son, who passed away last year, “was friends with one of the sons who lives there.”

They said the trailer was originally located on Lee Road in Groveland but was moved to Monte Vista Road about a year ago.

At about 4 p.m., two males—a teenager and an adult—arrived at the scene, saying they were the sons of the woman who owns the trailer. The adult male told Roxanne that he and his mother had been estranged for at least a year, but the teenager lived in the trailer with her.

“Our mom’s home was just destroyed today, we haven’t heard from her, we don’t know where she is and if she’s ok, so no, we don’t want to talk to anyone right now,” the adult said.

Earlier in the afternoon, around 3:30 p.m., a man who declined to identify himself arrived and began removing the siding where the spray-painted message was written.

“I saw this on Facebook and I’m just trying to help because I know if it was my dad’s name up there, or the name of someone in my family, I would not want it plastered all over the place for everyone to see, especially when it’s associated with these types of messages,” the man said. “No one wants to read this.”

Lake County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Stephanie Early confirmed a call about the incident came in just after 7 a.m.

“Investigators arrived at the scene, assessed the situation, and gathered evidence,” Stephanie says, adding that deputies planned to canvass the area and talk with neighbors about anything they might have seen or heard.

She said investigators know “heavy equipment” was used to cause the damage but could not confirm exactly what type. She also asked that anyone with information contact the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.

Story: Cindy Pearson and Roxanne Brown | Photos & Video by Roxanne Brown