Three hand-written wills found at singer’s Detroit house

Three handwritten wills have been found in the Detroit home of singer Aretha Franklin, her lawyer has revealed.

The legendary soul singer died in August 2018 at the age of 76. At the time it was believed she had not made a will for her estate estimated to be worth $80m (£63m).

However, attorney David Bennett said this week that two 2010 wills had been recovered from a locked cabinet at the house while another, dated 2014, had been found in a notebook concealed under cushions on a sofa.

The wills were filed this week, although Franklin’s attorneys say they are unsure whether they are legal under Michigan law. A hearing has been scheduled for 12 June.

According to Associated Press reports, the wills have been shared with Franklin’s four sons or their lawyers. A statement from the estate added that two sons object to the wills.

In April a judge approved the hiring of experts to assess Franklin’s assets and personal belongings. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS), meanwhile, is auditing many years of the singer’s tax returns and in December filed a claim for more than $6m in unpaid taxes.