HOUSTON — A disabled veteran who investigators said was beaten and robbed may soon be out of a place to stay.
KHOU 11's Grace White first reported on Roma "Joe" Whitten's story back in March and since then, three people have been arrested.
Whitten's caretaker told KHOU 11 on Thursday that he received a letter saying Veterans Affairs (VA) denied him the benefits he needs to stay at a VA home.
That's where he's been staying since he was forced out of his house by a scam.
"I'm worried, I don't have any place for him to go," said one of his friends, Patty Hallas.
Hallas was the one who first called police and adult protective services about what was happening to Whitten.
Since we reported on his story, three people have been arrested and are accused of moving into his house, beating him and stealing his money.
"Extremely disappointed in what the VA has done to him," Hallas said after finding out about the letter.
The letter said he "does not require nursing home care." However, Hallas said living on his own is what put him at risk the last time.
“It should be no question about him being there, he is not OK to take care of himself," she said.
The scam went even further than what the Harris County Sheriff's Office first realized. They charged three people in Whitten's case - Holly Coleman, Summer Hampton and a man that was innocent.
Turns out, the real suspect was his brother who was using his identity. The lead investigator in the case said everyone knew the third suspect by the fake name, further complicating matters.
“His brother is basically doing all sorts of crime around Harris County and presenting his ID to the police so he could get away with the crimes," said Reginald Robinson with the sheriff's office.
The brother they were actually looking for turned out to already be in the Harris County Jail.
Investigators said Mohibulla Malik was arrested in one of Whitten's stolen cars.
“During that arrest he presented his brother’s identification, trying to conceal the stolen vehicle," Robinson said.
Malik's charges have been upgraded to aggravated robbery and aggravated kidnapping.
It's a reminder for Hallas about how serious the situation got and why it's important for Whitten to be at a place that can protect him from becoming a victim again.
"The community is what got him in trouble," she said. “We are going to wind up in the same spot we are in now in three to six months.”
We reached out to the Department of Veterans Affairs, but a spokesman said they can't comment on an individual case without a privacy waiver. They did, however, say they will do everything in their power to help veterans and their families.
If you have a problem you can’t solve, Grace White wants to help. She fights for consumers and is passionate about getting answers and solving problems for Texans.