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Greed, Murder, and Inheritances

Uncategorized May 15, 2017
post about Greed, Murder, and Inheritances

It is shocking what some people will do for money. As John Pankauski states in Pankauski’s Probate Litigation Guide: Top 10 Probate Mistakes Revealed, “your family is going to fight over your wealth: when you’re gone and – perhaps – while you’re still alive.” On May 3, 2017, the Daily News reported about a man who murdered his boyfriend.  Did his boyfriend have a proper estate plan in place? Did he even inherit under the boyfriend’s will? Does he still inherit now that he has been found guilty of murder?

Murder and Inheritance

What does murder have to do with Florida probate litigation? Under Florida trust and estates law, how can murder affect inheritance? A West Palm Beach wills lawyer can tell you that Florida Statute 732.802, also known as the Slayer Statute, bars a convicted murderer from benefitting under a will of the decedent that he or she murdered.This makes sense.Why should a person who kills another person be able to inherit from the victim’s estate? Wouldn’t that, perhaps, tempt greedy beneficiaries to commit murder?

Man Kills Wealthy Boyfriend to Inherit his Estate

On May 3, 2017, the Daily News reported about a man who murdered his boyfriend.The murderer actually lived a double life, and his girlfriend was involved with the murder. If this murder had taken place in Florida, the boyfriend, now that he is convicted of murdering the decedent, would not be able to inherit. To read the entire article, click here.