ROCKDALE COUNTY, Ga. — A Rockdale County family plans to sell their dream home once construction is complete claiming they have repeatedly been the target of racism.
For the past two years, the family has been building a home in the Conyers area, but over the weekend someone put graffiti on the home, along with a truck, van, and trailer parked outside.
The comments painted in red spray paint include "DIE [expletive] MEXICANS" and "DIE MEXICANS"
"Now that it is literally stated, it is just a different type of stress," said Rogelio Alvarado the homeowner's son-in-law.
And now deputies with the Rockdale County Sheriff's Office are looking for the vandals who spray-painted the derogatory remarks. Alvardo said his family noticed the vandalism on Sunday morning and reported it to the sheriff's office.
"I was heartbroken. It is just a lot of hard work for someone to come out here and vandalize it," Alvarado told 11Alive during an interview Monday.
A release from the Rockdale County Sheriff's Office said their deputies responded to the 2600 block of Twin Oak Drive regarding a hate incident.
Rockdale deputies saw profanity and "derogatory wording" directed toward Mexican people that was spray-painted on the outside of a house, according to the sheriff's office.
Vandals also spray-painted insulting remarks on several vehicles that were parked in the home's driveway, the release detailed.
Deputies investigating after derogatory words spray painted on Rockdale County home
Alvarado said the incident is only the latest incident. Several times in the past, including in the last week, he said a group of people has run off contractors working on the home.
"Cussing them out, telling them to leave, just stop building. Those guys packed their stuff up and went," he said.
Alvardo said he suspects the group that has run-off contractors at the home are the same people behind the vandalism. He added that their family has also been targeted directly when outside the home.
"People would come out here, drive-by saying hatred slurs, just driving by really recklessly," he said.
According to Alvarado his father-in-law now plans to finish building the home and then sell it.
"Fear of you know just laying your head here. Just fear," he said. “It is just stressful, it is stressful. A lot of money, a lot of time, a lot of people involved to get to this place where it is at just for someone to come out here during the night. They’re just cowards.”
Authorities said they are working to identify the people who are responsible for the vandalism.
"The Rockdale County Sheriff's Office does not tolerate hate directed towards any member of our community and is diligently working on identifying the suspect(s) responsible for this criminal act," according to the release.
Deputies said this is an ongoing investigation. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Rockdale County Sheriff's Office's Criminal Investigation Unit at 770-278-8150.