Man Allegedy Murders His Grandmother for His Inheritance

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.” A Texas man allegedly murdered his grandmother for his inheritance. The media reports on December 6, 2016 that his murder trial has begun. Did his grandmother have a proper estate plan in place? Did he even inherit under the grandmother’s will? Can he still inherit if he is found guilty of murder?

Murder & Inheritance in Florida

• 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 statutes section 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 Allegedly Kills Grandmother in Texas for His Inheritance

• According to the Daily Herald, Richard Schmeltzer had two prostitute mistresses behind his wife’s back.
• This caused him to run out of money.
• The article states that, after planning it out, he drove across the country to murder his grandmother because he knew that he would inherit half of her $800,000 estate.
• If Texas has a Slayer Statute that is the same as Florida’s, he will not be able to receive his inheritance if he is proven guilty.
• To read the entire article, click here.