An Athens man believed he was engaged to a Florida sheriff’s deputy named Hailey Morello. Police say “she” never existed — and the man behind the persona, 25-year-old Caleb Jonquay Mills of Taylors, South Carolina, may have been secretly living inside the victim’s Timothy Road apartment without his knowledge while he was away at work.
A Digital Romance Unravels Into a Criminal Case
The case began drawing national attention after ABC24 detailed how the victim believed Morello was his fiancée despite never meeting her in person, according to reporter Cody Alcorn. Mills allegedly used stolen photographs, fake social media accounts, multiple phone numbers and voice-changing technology to maintain the deception, per the outlet’s reporting. The relationship grew tense as the victim’s family grew suspicious of the online romance, eventually identifying Mills as the person they believed was catfishing him.
According to police report details cited by WTHR, investigators believe Mills may have been secretly staying inside the victim’s Timothy Road apartment in Athens without his knowledge while he was away at work — an allegation that left the victim in shock upon learning of the potential intrusion, police noted. It transforms what initially looked like a purely digital scheme into something with a much more unsettling physical dimension.
Family Dispute Led Police to the Truth
Police responded to a family dispute at the victim’s Timothy Road apartment on July 11, 2026, after family warnings about the online relationship had created tension between the victim and his relatives. The victim’s mother told the responding officer that she believed her son was being catfished. During the call, the supposed fiancée identified herself as a law enforcement officer while speaking on speakerphone, and the responding police supervisor grew suspicious when the calls came from a South Carolina area code rather than the victim’s own number.
Mills reportedly called that same police supervisor again on July 16 to ask what action officers had taken, and had called once before on July 12 while allegedly pretending to be the victim. The officer later compared the supposed fiancée’s statements with later calls made by the person claiming to be the victim, noticing inconsistencies. When investigators eventually called the number tied to earlier complaints, it was Mills’ own phone that rang.
A Stolen Badge and a Borrowed Car
WTHR reported that Mills allegedly built the fraudulent Hailey Morello persona using photographs taken directly from the personal Facebook page of an active, real Florida sheriff’s deputy. The same report noted that Mills reportedly used voice-altering technology during phone calls to keep up the disguise. Meanwhile, the victim had allowed his fiancée to use his car, and the two had reportedly exchanged vehicles at some point during the relationship…