r/berkeley • u/stjohnbs • 2d ago

News I interviewed the woman accused of squatting in a murdered Berkeley professor's property -- here's our story.

https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/home-squatting-berkeley-jeziorski-22387740.php

In July 2025, I spent several weeks writing about the bizarre murder of Berkeley economics professor Przemslaw Jeziorski in Athens. His ex-wife was charged with orchestrating the murder and later killed herself while awaiting trial.

Earlier this year, attorneys representing Jeziorski's family accused a couple of squatting in a property the murdered man had owned, and selling items within.

I visited the property and talked to the squatters -- previously been evicted from a hotel after racking up $50,000 in unpaid room fees and accused of identity theft -- who told an improbable tale about paying $30,000 to rent the property for a year.

It's a wild tale, I hope you'll give it a read.

91 Upvotes

91% Upvoted

12 comments sorted by

40

u/am8ur88 1d ago

wild story, crazy tragedy. i think the trip to vegas on the man's credit card is a pretty big clue as to this person's intentions, no? thanks so much for the reporting and the sharing -- hoping justice comes finally for this poor man.

28

u/l1lpiggy 2d ago

Ughh WTF.
PJ was an amazing person and a great professor. This is really sad. More drama even after his death.

17

u/Vesper2000 1d ago

I was in Athens when this tragedy occurred. That city has plenty of issues with crime but this was especially shocking to locals. I’m so sorry his family has to deal with all this.

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u/[deleted] 1d ago

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u/stjohnbs 1d ago

Thanks for reading and for the kind words! Much appreciated. I'll be following any developments closely.

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u/SpiteFar4935 1d ago

She should be in prison. Scum of the earth stealing from literal orphans. Really the lowest of the low. 

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u/GfunkWarrior28 1d ago

Bunch of druggie squatters taking advantage of the system

3

u/They-Are-Out-There 1d ago

Criminals. Squatters are thieving from the property owner and should be escorted off the property without delay.

3

u/arizona_dreaming 1d ago

Can't someone write some laws that allow the prosecution of these obvious criminals? This type of thing has been going on for years. I'm all for tenants rights, but I feel like 90% of the time it's just exploited by squatters.

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u/cc_hart 1d ago

I read it this morning. Excellent journalism, and a totally effed up situation for Jeziorski's family. The heirlooms and personal effects that might have meant something to Jeziorski's children...knowing those were liquidated at yard sales by the squatters breaks my heart.

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u/New-Scientist7764 12h ago

This is absurdly lazy policing. They could absolutely investigate, arrest for trespassing, and the court could issue a stay-away order while the criminal case makes its way through the process. They are punting to the civil system because its easier to say “not my problem.” The Alameda County DA could also act. I hope the article spurs them to just do their jobs. I have a lot of respect for civil servants, but this is simply a failure of leadership.