Family of Vegas Shooting Victim Seek $45 Million from Gunman’s Estate
Posted on: December 12, 2017, 04:00h.
Last updated on: April 18, 2018, 08:40h.
Relatives of one of the victims of the October 1 mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest music festival in Las Vegas are seeking to recover $45 million from the estate of shooter Stephen Paddock.
The claim comes from the family of 31-year-old Keri Galvan of Thousand Oaks, California, which filed court papers on behalf of her husband, Justin Galvan, and the couple’s three children. The creditor’s claim seeks $10 million for each of the four surviving family members, as well as an additional $5 million for “infliction of emotional distress and assault.”
Sum Includes Lost Wages, Loss of Companionship, Emotional Distress
The bulk of that sum is derived from various ways in which Keri Galvan brought value to her family. That includes lost wages, gifts and benefits, the value of her household services, and the “loss of Keri’s love, companionship, comfort, care, assistance, protections, affection and emotional support.” Funeral and burial costs are also included in the total.
The emotional distress and assault claim applies specifically to Justin, as he was present at the festival when the shooting took place. According to reports following the attack, Keri died in Justin’s arms.
A profile of Kari Galvan in the Las Vegas Review-Journal described her as a “hard-working supermom” to her three young children. Her sister said she was “the most protective big sister you could ever imagine,” who carried on a family tradition of visiting Disneyland with her children about once a month.
The claim is likely to be one of many that will be filed by victims of the attack. Paddock killed 58 people during the mass shooting, while hundreds more suffered injuries.
Paddock Was Wealthy, But Worth is Unclear
But while victims and their families will certainly feel justified in seeking restitution, it is unclear just how much wealth is available from Stephen Paddock’s estate. While Paddock was a high-stakes gambler, his brother Eric has said that Stephen’s net worth is unclear even to him. In addition, no will has been found.
Still, profiles of Paddock following the shooting suggested that he was quite well off, even if the extent of that wealth was unclear. He reportedly owned homes in four states, having made significant profits from real estate deals and a business he and his brother had sold.
The Independent reported that relatives said Paddock was worth more than $2 million. Just before the massacre, he reportedly wired $100,000 to his girlfriend in the Philippines.
Sorting out Paddock’s assets may take some time. On Thursday, District Judge Gloria Sturman may rule on how those assets are managed. While Clark County Administrator John Cahill has been opposed to taking control of the estate, he has indicated that he would accept the appointment if nobody else steps forward to do so.
Once someone is put in charge of the estate, it will still be unclear just how much is available for claimants to recover. Cahill has previous said that he would ask for the authority to list Paddock’s home for sale.
The house, located in Mesquite, Nevada, was purchased in 2015 for $369,000.
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