Barring any others who could come forward claiming ties, Eide’s order drastically limits who may benefit from Prince’s fortunes – an estimated $300 million or more – or gain control of his legacy.
Advertisement
That left a quartet of siblings and half-siblings, including Prince’s sister Tyka Nelson, receiving the greenlight to undergo genetic testing.
The probate case for the late musician Prince is narrowing down those claiming to be his heir. After all, Tyka Nelson did submit that petition herself (PDF), and you would think that she would have a handle on her brother’s known heirs.
Also denied were four people who claimed to be the singer’s children, as well as people claiming to be Prince’s father or other relatives.
But much of the back-and-forth was put to rest Friday, when, according to documents made public in the Prince estate case in Carver County, Minn., Judge Kevin W. Eide ruled that according to Minnesota law, anyone other than Prince’s siblings or half-siblings (and two of their possible descendants) were automatically excluded from his estate.
According to the USA Today report, John Nelson, Norrine Nelson, Sharon Nelson, Alfred Jackson, Omarr Baker and Tyka Nelson are all known to be Prince’s siblings or half-siblings, and will all likely split the estate so long as tests prove they are indeed related to him.
Each of these purported half-siblings said that they shared a father with Prince but that father was not John L. Nelson.
The judge ruled out another 11 people, including some who claimed to be Prince’s father.
Prince died on April 21, days after he reportedly was treated for an overdose of the opioid painkiller Percocet.
Advertisement
29 other people, including alleged siblings and children, were barred from seeking a share in Prince’s $250 million estate. Two half-brothers were not ordered to undergo testing, though they remain among the eight potential heirs. For example, one woman who said she was adopted claimed Prince was her father because “based upon the general description of the lifestyle of her biological parents, her fascination with the Decedent and physical similarities”.
