EXECUTOR RIGHTS

My uncle died in January 1999. As per he will he divided his estate 5 equal ways, between 2 neices and 2 nephews and their Mother. In May 2000 all heirs received notification from the attorney of the value of the estate. I am going to only talk the dollars because that is the problem. Ray, my brother & "equal" heir, is executor of the will and he was also Power of Attorney before my uncle died, therefore his name was on my uncle's checking account. Ray told the other heirs the cash left by our uncle was $80,000. Of course, he had to pay expenses out of that. My uncle was 85, never married and had NO outstanding bills except for the regular monthly bills and yearly taxes. The cash, as reported on the notification from the attorney, was $3,000. On June 22 after my uncle died in January, Ray signed a paper stating there was approx. $80,000 in cash to be distributed. This paper and Ray's signature was notarized. This form was needed because the original will could not be found and a copy of the original had to be made. Now in May,2000 there is only $3,000! I called Ray and asked him about the money and all he said was, I am sorry Shirley, but that is the way Lonnie left it. Ray thinks that because his name was on the checking account the money in that account belonged to him. If that is the way he says it is now (and not like the paper he signed in June) then he lied under oath (notarized statement) last June. He refused all along to keep us up to date on anything or to show records to us. I live in Florida and would like to know what the Florida Estate law says regarding the missing money and is it legal for him to have that money!! I do have copies of the will and the document he signed in June.

What do you advise me to do? Thanks!