Chapter 8 - Amanda’s Will Amanda updated her will six months before death.
Robert did not know.
Old will:
Robert received the house for life if he survived her, then remainder to me.
He was nominated as my guardian if legally permitted.
New will:
House placed into trust for me.
Julia nominated guardian.
Robert received a six-month occupancy period only if we remained married and no separation action was pending.
Personal effects distributed under separate memorandum.
Why the change?
Naomi’s predecessor attorney, Claire Donovan, had handled it.
Amanda told her:
“My marriage is unstable financially. I’m not deciding divorce yet.”
No allegation of violence.
No fear for her life.
No accusation Robert threatened her.
Important.
She wanted independent control.
The personal-property memorandum listed:
Evelyn Reed gold band — Katie Evans at age eighteen, held by trustee until then.
There.
The ring was mine eventually.
Robert had no legal right to keep it.
Did that prove murder?
No.
It proved he lied about Amanda giving it to him.
Why wear it?
Robert later explained through counsel:
He found the ring in Amanda’s purse after she died.
He recognized it as Evelyn’s.
He put it on at the funeral because he wanted something of Amanda’s with him.
A terrible decision.
Potential theft from estate.
Also plausibly grief.
Why lie?
Because he knew he should not have opened the sealed purse.
Why did he open it?
Now he admitted:
He searched for the USB.
There.
The first major concession.
He told police through a formal proffer:
After Amanda fell, he panicked because he knew she had gathered documents about Stonebridge.
He checked her pulse.
She was breathing.
He believed she was unconscious, not dying.
He opened her purse looking for the drive.
Could that explain the delay?
Yes.
Could it excuse it?
No.
He found the USB.
What did he do with it?
Destroyed it.
How?
He snapped it and threw pieces into a storm drain behind a gas station after leaving the hospital.
Police searched.
Months had passed.
Nothing recovered.
He also found the ring.
Pocketed it.
Why search her phone?
To delete the voice recording.
He admitted that too.
Why call 911 only afterward?
Because he realized Amanda was not waking.
The prosecutor asked:
“Did you push her?”
“No.”
“Did you intentionally cause her fall?”
“No.”
“Did you grab her?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
“Upper arm.”
“What happened?”
“She pulled away.”
“And fell?”
“She stepped backward.”
“Did you see her foot miss the stair?”
“I saw her go down.”
“Did you try to catch her?”
“Yes.”
No evidence could prove that last part either way.
The proffer changed everything.
Robert admitted evidence tampering and delayed emergency response.
But he still denied causing the fall intentionally.
The state had to decide what homicide charge evidence could support.
At the same time, Robert filed a new family-court motion.
He withdrew his request for immediate custody.
Requested only therapeutic contact with me.
Julia was furious.
I wasn’t.
I did not know what I wanted.
Then Robert’s attorney offered something.
He would consent to Julia’s permanent guardianship if the estate agreed not to oppose release of certain joint funds Robert claimed were his.
Naomi refused immediately.
“Child custody is not currency.”
May you like
Robert’s lawyer withdrew the proposal.
That mistake followed him into every later hearing.
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