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Inheritance By A Murderer From His Victim, H. C. Force

Washington Law Review

The question whether a murderer can inherit from his victim, except in the case of life insurance, is usually answered in the affirmative. The rule is well settled that if the beneficiary under a life insurance policy murders the insured, neither he nor his heirs or representatives can collect the policy. But in cases where a devisee or heir has murdered his testator or ancester, the courts are divided, the majority holding that however undesirable it may be for a murderer to profit by his crime, nevertheless the statutes of wills or of descent are too clear, that the courts …