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Court document: Prince did not leave a will, has six potential heirs

by Jay Gabler

April 26, 2016

This morning, Prince's sister Tyka Nelson filed a document with the Carver County District Court stating that the late music legend did not leave a will. The document, a petition to appoint a special administrator of Prince's estate, lists six surviving members of his immediate family, as well as one predeceased half-sister.

Tyka Nelson, 55, is Prince's only full sibling and, under the filing, would be the executor of his estate. Surviving half-siblings include John Nelson, Norrine Nelson, Sharon Nelson, Alfred Jackson, and Omar Baker. All are potential heirs. Half-sister Lorna Nelson passed before Prince's death. Duane Nelson, a half-brother who died in 2013, is not listed in the filing.

The petition asks the court to appoint Bremer Bank, which "has provided financial services to the Decedent for a number of years and has knowledge of his personal financial and business financial affairs," as administrator of the singer's estate. According to the petition, the extent of Prince's assets is unknown.

Read the court filing here, via MPR News. Since Prince's death last week at age 57, speculation has ranged widely regarding what provisions he might or might not have left for his estate — the most valuable part of which is his tremendous song catalog and the ownership of his music recordings. In the absence of a will, Prince's assets will likely be distributed among his siblings, half-siblings included.

According to statements made yesterday by those close to Prince, his family is planning to turn Paisley Park into a museum — and has asked Sheila E. to lead a musical tribute.

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