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Shasta Groene's Coeur d'Alene home prompts legal battle

It's been over a decade since his daughter, Shasta Groene, was returned to her family, following her kidnapping and rape by Joseph Duncan, a convicted serial killer. Now an adult, Shasta has moved away and lives in Southern Idaho with her own children. Steve still lives in the house, but that could all change.

It looks like any other Coeur d'Alene home but a car sitting in the driveway with the bumper sticker, "Kill Duncan," sends a clear message from Steve Groene.

It's been over a decade since Steve's daughter, Shasta Groene, was returned to her family, following her kidnaping and rape by Joseph Duncan, a convicted serial killer.

Shasta made national headlines over a decade ago after Duncan murdered Shasta's brothers, her mom, and her mother's boyfriend in 2005. Shasta was the only victim who walked away from Duncan alive.

An outpour of community sympathy and donations followed the case, enough that established a legal charitable trust.

Using that money, a home was built for Shasta and Steve.

Now an adult, Shasta has moved away and lives in Southern Idaho with her own children. Steve still lives in the house but that could all change.

Steve uses a device to help him speak, after losing his voice box due to cancer years ago. He was in court Thursday morning regarding a legal dispute over the house that has lasted for a few years now.

The trust, which is overseen by an outside party, has sought to evict Steve over the last year. In court documents, the trustees have said that they need to sell the house in order to continue providing financial support to Shasta, meaning, evicting Steve and selling the house.

"They want to sell this house because they know how badly that's going to hurt me," said Steve Groene. "They are going to basically make me homeless."

Shasta herself has argued that she wants her dad to stay in the home and to have it to be given to him. She expressed that she considered the house to be the Groene family home now.

Moreover, Steve argued that he and the leaders of the trust agreed at the time that they'd use some of his personal hardships, including his cancer diagnosis, to help solicit donations. He said the community was led to believe the house was built for both Shasta and him, not just Shasta alone.

"They're just upset that they can't force me out of something that they feel like I don't deserve. I feel that the community that donated all of this, fully felt that I deserved this--and that it was done in part for me," said Steve Groene.

A judge didn't make a final decision on the case Thursday. It is likely the judge won't make a decision on the case until September. Both sides have several weeks to submit closing arguments.

KREM 2 reached out to the law firm representing the trust for comment, but have not heard back.

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