A North Carolina property owner who rented his home to a Fayetteville woman charged with the murders of her two adopted children described the conditions she left.

Steve Slocumb rented his Leicester home from 2007 to 2008 to Avantae Deven, who is charged with murdering Blake Deven and London Deven.

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"Just a real mess," Slocumb said. "Tubs had been overflowed and you can see where there had been damage on the drywall."

Slocumb said Avantae Deven left behind a broken stovetop, a fan ripped from the ceiling and scratches on hardwood floors after turning her keys in.

"It was a brand-new house," Slocumb said. "I’d just built it."

The home is in Buncombe County, about 20 minutes northwest of Asheville. Slocumb said he had photos of the damage, but he deleted them a few years ago.

"I met with her and her – I understand to be her mother – and actually a small girl she said was her adoptive daughter," Slocumb said.

After Avantae Deven and her family moved out of the home, Slocumb saw the damage they left behind. He gave her a choice.

"I’m either taking you to court or you need to sign a contract with me to pay back the money," Slocumb said.

Slocumb said she took the second option. She paid him thousands of dollars each month until she repaid him $40,000.

Slocumb said he found one other thing strange about the condition of the home.

"Someone installed those kind of chain locks on the tops of the doors," he said. "So, in other words, you'd have to be an adult or a tall person at least in the 5-foot, 6-foot or 7-foot range to reach up and unlock the door.

"Why would someone do that?"

WRAL Investigates is trying to get an answer to the question.

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