Sons of Aretha Franklin inherit property after discovering will in a couch

Following the discovery of a will hidden between couch cushions, Aretha Franklin's sons have been awarded ownership of her former homes. This decision comes four months after a jury confirmed that the document was valid, despite its difficulty in being read. The will, dating back to 2014, supersedes a separate handwritten will from 2010 that was found at Franklin's home in Detroit in 2019. The 2014 will suggests that Franklin's youngest son, Kecalf, should assume control over her estate. As a result, Kecalf and his grandchildren will inherit Franklin's gated mansion in suburban Detroit, valued at $1.1 million in 2018. Another son, Ted White II, who favored the 2010 will, will receive a different house in Detroit. However, this house was sold by the Franklin estate for $300,000 before the competing wills were discovered. Franklin's fourth home, worth over $1 million, is expected to be sold, with the proceeds divided between her four sons. Franklin's niece, Sabrina Owens, discovered the wills nine months after the singer's death in August 2018. The documents indicated that Franklin wanted her sons to split the income from her music and copyrights, but discrepancies existed between the 2010 and 2014 wills. Despite the debate over the legitimacy of the 2014 will, a jury agreed that it superseded the 2010 version. Clarence, Franklin's eldest child who lives under guardianship, was not involved in the dispute but will receive a portion of the estate as agreed upon in a pre-trial agreement. The distribution of Franklin's music assets remains unresolved, with a status conference scheduled for January.