Administrator of Prince’s estate dismisses more inheritance claims

By Alex Dobuzinskis

(Reuters) – The administrator of Prince’s estate has further solidified the inheritance claims of the pop superstar’s six surviving siblings by dismissing more than a dozen other claimants, according to court documents released on Friday.

Among the most colorful claims dismissed in the latest filings in Minnesota state court was one from a Georgia resident, Claire Boyd, who said she was a secret bride to Prince, but that her marriage records were kept secret by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency.

David R. Crosby, an attorney for the special administrator Bremer Trust, said the materials filed by Boyd “do not provide any corroborating basis” for her claim.

The administrator also dismissed seven people who claim a link to Prince as the descendents of the sister of the pop star’s great-grandfather. Prince’s siblings have been identified, so claims from more distant relatives are invalid, Crosby wrote in the court papers.

Prince, who died unexpectedly at age 57 in April, apparently without a will, has long been identified in public records as the only son from Mattie Shaw’s marriage to John L. Nelson, who also fathered Prince’s younger sister, Tyka Nelson.

In the court filings on Friday, Crosby formally validated the claim of heirship of Tyka Nelson and said she does not have to submit to genetic testing.

In court documents released earlier this week, Crosby also validated the claims of heirship of five known half-siblings who he said have demonstrated they share at least one genetic parent with Prince.

Prince’s estate, estimated to be worth more than $500 million, could be divided under Minnesota law in equal shares to his siblings and the nearest surviving descendents of any deceased siblings. Siblings and half-siblings are treated the same under Minnesota inheritance law.

In the latest court filings released on Friday, Crosby said the daughter and grand-daughter of the late Duane Nelson, who is claimed to be another half-sibling of the late pop star, must submit to genetic testing to prove their link.

The special administrator’s rulings are subject to a judge’s review.

Last month, medical examiners ruled Prince died of an accidental, self-administered overdose of opioid painkiller fentanyl.

(Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis in Los Angeles; editing by Grant McCool)