A recent high-profile case has placed California Probate Code Section 250 — commonly called the “slayer statute” — back in the public eye. Reports describe an adult son charged with the first-degree murder of both parents in December 2025, who is now attempting from jail to tap a $1.5 million family trust to fund his criminal defense. As of the most recent reporting, a California court has blocked that access, and his siblings have reportedly cut him off financially.
The story is tragic, but it also raises questions that we at LA | Estate Plans field regularly from California families: What happens to a trust or inheritance when the person accused of causing the death is also a named beneficiary? How do trustees and co-beneficiaries protect the estate while criminal proceedings play out? And what rights do siblings, surviving spouses, and other heirs have in the meantime?
What Happened
According to reports, a well-known director and his wife were allegedly killed by their adult son in late 2025. The son has pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder and remains in custody as the case proceeds. He has reportedly asked the probate court to release funds from a family trust — said to be worth approximately $1.5 million — to pay his criminal defense lawyers.
In August, a California court reportedly denied that request, citing the state’s slayer statute. His legal team has since argued that a portion of the trust, allegedly around $325,000, originated from his late grandfather’s estate — a death he is not accused of causing — and should therefore be accessible. That narrower issue is reportedly still being litigated. Family members, including his siblings, are reported to have declined to appear at his most recent hearing, though they are also said to have urged prosecutors not to seek the death penalty.
Nothing in this article should be read as a factual finding against any individual. The accused has pleaded not guilty, and the criminal case has not been resolved.
Who May Be Liable (and Who May Be Blocked From Inheriting)
In a scenario like this one, the civil and probate exposure can touch several parties:
- The accused heir, who may be barred from inheriting under California’s slayer statute if he is found — in criminal or civil court — to have feloniously and intentionally caused the deaths.
- The trustee of the family trust, who could be liable to the remaining beneficiaries if trust assets are released prematurely or improperly.
- Third parties, such as drug suppliers, mental health providers, or others whose alleged conduct contributed to the deaths, could potentially face wrongful death exposure in separate civil actions, depending on the facts.
Again, these are categories of potential exposure — not findings of fault.
Legal Theories That May Apply
Several overlapping legal doctrines come into play when an heir is accused of killing a parent, spouse, or other benefactor:
- California Probate Code § 250 (the slayer statute). A person who “feloniously and intentionally” kills a decedent is treated as having predeceased that decedent for inheritance purposes — meaning they take nothing from the estate, trust, or life insurance of the victim.
- Probate Code § 254. This allows a probate court to make its own finding, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the killing was felonious and intentional — even before a criminal conviction, and even if no conviction ever occurs.
- Breach of fiduciary duty. Trustees who distribute assets to a disqualified beneficiary could be sued by the remaining heirs for mismanagement.
- Wrongful death (Code of Civil Procedure § 377.60). Surviving family members may have a civil claim for the loss of their loved ones, separate from the criminal case.
- Survival actions (CCP § 377.30). The estate itself may bring claims the decedents could have brought had they survived.
- Trust contests and petitions for instructions. Co-beneficiaries and trustees can petition the probate court for guidance when distribution is disputed.
Damages and Remedies Victims’ Families May Recover
In a case touching both probate and civil tort law, the categories of relief can include:
- Disqualification of the accused heir from inheriting under any will, trust, intestate share, life insurance, or jointly held property passing by right of survivorship.
- Redirection of the accused’s share to contingent beneficiaries — often siblings, children, or charities named in the estate plan.
- Compensatory damages in a parallel wrongful death action, which may include loss of financial support, loss of companionship, funeral and burial expenses, and the reasonable value of household services the decedents would have provided.
- Punitive damages in cases involving intentional wrongdoing (not available in a pure wrongful death claim, but potentially available through a survival action in certain circumstances).
- Attorneys’ fees and trustee fees where authorized by the trust instrument or statute.
California does cap non-economic damages in certain medical malpractice cases, but there is no comparable cap in standard wrongful death actions involving intentional conduct.
Evidence That Strengthens a Case
For families navigating a slayer-statute dispute or related trust litigation, documentation is everything. Useful evidence often includes:
- The original trust instrument, amendments, and any pour-over will.
- Police reports, charging documents, and transcripts from the criminal case.
- Medical examiner and coroner reports.
- Communications (texts, emails, voicemails) between the decedents and the accused heir.
- Financial records showing the source and history of trust assets — particularly important where, as in the reported case, portions of a trust may trace back to a different decedent’s estate.
- Mental health, substance abuse, and prior incident records that may bear on intent.
- Witness statements from friends, caregivers, and household staff.
What to Do Next
If your family is facing a situation where a potential heir has been accused of causing a loved one’s death — or if you are a trustee being pressured to release funds to such a person — a few conservative steps can protect everyone involved:
- Do not make distributions from the trust or estate to the accused until a probate court weighs in. Trustees who distribute prematurely can face personal liability.
- Preserve all documents, including the estate plan, financial records, and any communications about the decedent’s wishes.
- File a petition for instructions in probate court if there is any ambiguity about how to proceed.
- Coordinate with the criminal prosecutors where appropriate, so civil and probate strategies do not inadvertently interfere with the criminal case.
- Watch deadlines carefully. California wrongful death claims generally must be filed within two years, and trust and probate contests often have much shorter windows — sometimes as little as 120 days from a formal notice.
- Avoid speaking with insurance adjusters or opposing counsel without your own attorney present.
If you or a loved one is navigating a disputed inheritance, a suspected slayer-statute situation, or trustee litigation anywhere in California, the team at LA | Estate Plans is here to help you understand your options and protect what your family built. Visit https://laestateplans.com to request a confidential consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can someone accused of killing a parent still inherit in California?
Under California Probate Code § 250, a person who feloniously and intentionally kills a decedent is treated as if they died first and inherits nothing from that decedent. However, until a court makes that finding — either through a criminal conviction or a civil probate determination — the issue may remain contested, and interim court orders are often needed to freeze assets.
Does the accused have to be convicted before being disqualified?
No. A criminal conviction creates a conclusive bar, but California Probate Code § 254 also lets a probate court make its own finding by a preponderance of the evidence. That means an heir could still be disqualified in civil court even if a criminal case is dismissed, acquitted, or never filed.
What if the trust money came from a different relative who was not killed?
This is exactly the kind of nuanced question being litigated in the reported case. The slayer statute generally blocks inheritance only from the decedent the heir is alleged to have killed, so assets traceable to a different decedent’s estate may be treated differently — but courts look carefully at how the funds were commingled, titled, and distributed under the trust’s terms.
How long do I have to file a wrongful death claim in California?
The general statute of limitations for wrongful death in California is two years from the date of death under Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1. Shorter deadlines may apply if a government entity is involved, and probate-related deadlines can be even tighter, so it is important to speak with counsel quickly.
Can siblings cut off a sibling’s trust distributions on their own?
Not unilaterally. Co-beneficiaries typically must petition the probate court or work through the trustee to pause or redirect distributions. A court order or a trustee acting under properly invoked trust provisions is generally required before distributions can be withheld or redirected.
What happens to the accused heir’s share if they are disqualified?
Under California law, the share typically passes as if the disqualified person had predeceased the decedent. That often means it goes to the next contingent beneficiaries named in the trust or will, which may be siblings, children, or charities, depending on the document.
Can we sue the accused for wrongful death while the criminal case is pending?
Yes. Civil and criminal cases proceed on separate tracks, and families frequently file wrongful death actions before criminal proceedings conclude. A civil case uses a lower burden of proof (preponderance of the evidence) and can result in money damages even if the criminal case has a different outcome.
Should a trustee release money for the accused’s criminal defense?
Generally no, not without a court order. Releasing trust funds to a beneficiary who may be disqualified under the slayer statute can expose the trustee to personal liability from the other beneficiaries. The safer course is to petition the probate court for instructions before any such distribution.
Original reporting: aol.ca.