Backstreet Boys singer embroiled in bitter legal battle over beach at his Florida home
Brian Littrell accused a local, Carolyn Hill, of repeatedly trespassing on his oceanfront home in Florida. Facebook/Shoreline Defender
Backstreet Boys singer Brian Littrell is in the midst of a legal dispute with a neighbor he claims has harassed his family by repeatedly trespassing on their $3.8 million Florida Panhandle beachfront property and secretly recording videos, according to court documents.
The 50-year-old singer filed a lawsuit against 67-year-old Carolyn Barrington Hill on September 19, alleging that she repeatedly entered his Santa Rosa Beach property between April and September despite multiple “No Trespassing” signs and visual markers, including chairs, umbrellas, and tables, marking the property line. Hill, who describes herself as “semi-retired” and on Medicare, is accused of shouting at the Littrells’ property manager and refusing to leave when asked, according to the Walton County Circuit Court filing.
One confrontation on May 4 reportedly required intervention by a Walton County Sheriff’s Officer, and the Littrells say they were forced to hire security to protect their family. The lawsuit lists multiple alleged trespassing incidents on April 26, May 4, May 25, June 11, August 5, August 17, and September 6, during which Hill allegedly refused to leave and recorded the family without their knowledge or consent.
The Littrells, along with their company BLB Beach Hut, LLC, are seeking unspecified damages, claiming the incidents caused emotional distress and interfered with their enjoyment of their beachfront home.
Littrell’s attorney, Peter Ticktin, told The Post that Littrell was thrilled when he first bought the home, seeing it as a dream come true for his family. “But things changed when Ms. Hill and other neighbors began squatting on the beaches and trespassing despite polite requests to leave,” Ticktin said.
The attorney said tensions escalated after the Littrells won a previous court case establishing property lines on the beachfront. “Ms. Hill started publicly accusing property owners along the strip of stealing land,” Ticktin claimed. “She has launched a campaign making my clients look like they took something that rightfully belongs to them—they didn’t.”
Hill filed a motion last month to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing that the claims are legally deficient. In Florida, land below the high-tide line is public, while dry sand above it can be privately owned, though some municipalities allow public access to private beaches.
BLB Beach Hut, LLC purchased the 1,574-square-foot, three-bedroom, four-bathroom home in 2023 for $3.8 million. In July, Littrell also filed a lawsuit against the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, alleging insufficient protection against trespassers, though the status of that case is currently unclear.
A hearing for Hill’s motion to dismiss is scheduled for December 11.
The dispute has drawn attention on social media. A 2023 video shows Littrell’s wife, Leighanne, confronting a beachgoer who had set up a spot on their property while Littrell held a “No Trespassing” sign. The confrontation escalated as the man refused to move and suggested calling law enforcement. Other videos on Instagram’s Shoreline Defender page depict the Littrell property manager allegedly threatening people with a drill, prompting a police officer to warn him that further threats could lead to arrest.
Lawyers for Hill did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Walton County Sheriff’s Office said in July it could not comment on pending litigation.
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