estranged son-in-law stole my deceased mothers cedar chest

[ivy cottage]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? TN

The first question I have is this: In the first week of January my son-in-law asked to borrow $2500 to catch up on some bills. Thinking of my daughter and my 5 year granddaughter, I thought about it. He said he would be able to pay me $400 a month till it was paid. I agreed, starting in February. By the middle of that month my daughter and he separated. A month later they were back together. He is refusing to repay me the money and the amount agreed upon. What can I do?

Second question. I just found out he went to a storage facility that my mother had all her belongings stored because she moved in with me. She had Alzheimer's. She died at age 91, in2012. He took my mothers beloved cedar chest that my late father bought her. In it were very intimate items of their affection, plus jewelry, documents, my father war commendations, irreplaceable photos. Collectibles, her deceased parents things. It was a valuable piece of our lives, being saved for my grand children. He supposedly took it from the storage facility and God only knows what he did with what was inside. He presented it to his new girlfriends mother, telling her it had belonged to his dead grandmother. I found this out two days ago. He is denying it. I believe he did it. I'm utterly heartbroken about the things that are gone. He is a drug addict. The chest is still in the other persons house. How do I press charges? Plus his girlfriend told me he had given her some gold rings and the like from it. Help me. I need closure.

 

[quincy]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? TN

The first question I have is this: In the first week of January my son-in-law asked to borrow $2500 to catch up on some bills. Thinking of my daughter and my 5 year granddaughter, I thought about it. He said he would be able to pay me $400 a month till it was paid. I agreed, starting in February. By the middle of that month my daughter and he separated. A month later they were back together. He is refusing to repay me the money and the amount agreed upon. What can I do?

Second question. I just found out he went to a storage facility that my mother had all her belongings stored because she moved in with me. She had Alzheimer's. She died at age 91, in2012. He took my mothers beloved cedar chest that my late father bought her. In it were very intimate items of their affection, plus jewelry, documents, my father war commendations, irreplaceable photos. Collectibles, her deceased parents things. It was a valuable piece of our lives, being saved for my grand children. He supposedly took it from the storage facility and God only knows what he did with what was inside. He presented it to his new girlfriends mother, telling her it had belonged to his dead grandmother. I found this out two days ago. He is denying it. I believe he did it. I'm utterly heartbroken about the things that are gone. He is a drug addict. The chest is still in the other persons house. How do I press charges? Plus his girlfriend told me he had given her some gold rings and the like from it. Help me. I need closure.

For question one: You can sue the fellow for the money he owes you. It will help your suit against him if you have something in writing and signed by him, showing the terms of your agreement. Here is a link to Tennessee's Self Help Center: https://www.tncourts.gov/programs/self-help-center

For question two: Report the theft of your mother's cedar chest and belongings to the police. You can tell the police of your suspicions that your son-in-law took them from your mother's storage facility. The police will investigate.

Good luck.



For additional information, links to ivy cottage's other threads:
https://forum.freeadvice.com/debt-collections-84/debit-card-fraud-tn-621361.html
https://forum.freeadvice.com/debt-collections-84/loned-money-someone-622200.html

 

[ivy cottage]

Stolen cedar chest

For question one: You can sue the fellow for the money he owes you. It will help your suit against him if you have something in writing and signed by him, showing the terms of your agreement. Here is a link to Tennessee's Self Help Center: https://www.tncourts.gov/programs/self-help-center

For question two: Report the theft of your mother's cedar chest and belongings to the police. You can tell the police of your suspicions that your son-in-law took them from your mother's storage facility. The police will investigate.

Good luck.
For additional information, links to ivy cottage's other threads:
https://forum.freeadvice.com/debt-collections-84/debit-card-fraud-tn-621361.html
https://forum.freeadvice.com/debt-collections-84/loned-money-someone-622200.html

I spoke with a police officer, he took his name and info down. This was on a sunday. He said if I wanted to file a warrant do it the next day. That Monday I went to the office and spoke with the people there. I was told I could file a warrant, but it probably wouldn't do any good. That it would be up to a court person (confused) if charges could be filed. I probably could file a civil suit, though. I'm not getting much help either way. I really don't know what to do. I know what the girlfriend told me, that he gave the chest to her mother. That it was even still there (as of a week + ago) and that the girlfriend had a few pieces of jewelry from it. This sounds trivial but it is, and has, broken me emotionally. The chest was full of my mothers keepsakes. They are most likely destroyed. The person who stole it has been a part of our family since he was 20, he is now 40. My mother even helped support him in her life. As did I. He has destroyed my family and I want him to pay for this with jail time. One, two days. However it will be. He is walking free with my daughter (who gave up her self respect and dignity) by his side after this whole year of drugs and women and leaving her and her daughter, stealing from me and my deceased mother. I want him to have to own up to the law and be held accountable, but I don't have resources to hire an attorney. If I have to do it by myself I want to know what to do, how to do it. I apologize for my rant. I'm very upset and hurt. I'm not even positive he spoke with my son-in-law. I have a printed out message where the ex-girlfriend sent me a picture of the cedar chest, empty, and her saying she had just a few of her things. Like rings. She is saying he took it to her mother's house, which I find hard to believe, because she sent me the picture from her FaceBook account. It was within minuets after I asked to see the chest. She never showed me the other things, though she did tell me in person she would give them back. Since then I can't get in contact with her. She wants me to have him arrested, and I want to, but I feel this for her is a romantic vendetta, wanting not to own any part of it. I would like to see both of them arrested. I just don't want to go through with the warrants if she walks free. She was the reason he did this (mostly) and she gained from it. I just don't know what to do.

 

[ivy cottage]

estranged son-in-law stole my mothers cedar chest

I spoke with a police officer, he took his name and info down. This was on a sunday. He said if I wanted to file a warrant do it the next day. That Monday I went to the office and spoke with the people there. I was told I could file a warrant, but it probably wouldn't do any good. That it would be up to a court person (confused) if charges could be filed. I probably could file a civil suit, though. I'm not getting much help either way. I really don't know what to do. I know what the girlfriend told me, that he gave the chest to her mother. That it was even still there (as of a week + ago) and that the girlfriend had a few pieces of jewelry from it. This sounds trivial but it is, and has, broken me emotionally. The chest was full of my mothers keepsakes. They are most likely destroyed. The person who stole it has been a part of our family since he was 20, he is now 40. My mother even helped support him in her life. As did I. He has destroyed my family and I want him to pay for this with jail time. One, two days. However it will be. He is walking free with my daughter (who gave up her self respect and dignity) by his side after this whole year of drugs and women and leaving her and her daughter, stealing from me and my deceased mother. I want him to have to own up to the law and be held accountable, but I don't have resources to hire an attorney. If I have to do it by myself I want to know what to do, how to do it. I apologize for my rant. I'm very upset and hurt. I'm not even positive he spoke with my son-in-law. I have a printed out message where the ex-girlfriend sent me a picture of the cedar chest, empty, and her saying she had just a few of her things. Like rings. She is saying he took it to her mother's house, which I find hard to believe, because she sent me the picture from her FaceBook account. It was within minuets after I asked to see the chest. She never showed me the other things, though she did tell me in person she would give them back. Since then I can't get in contact with her. She wants me to have him arrested, and I want to, but I feel this for her is a romantic vendetta, wanting not to own any part of it. I would like to see both of them arrested. I just don't want to go through with the warrants if she walks free. She was the reason he did this (mostly) and she gained from it. I just don't know what to do.

Yesterday I filled out and signed a declaration that my son-in-law stole the cedar chest. I also signed one on the ex-girlfriend because I had written proof she had items from the chest. I was told the DA would have to look read them, and it would be his decision to arrest. Today I got a call from the office asking for an address where my son-in-law could be found. I was caught by surprise and didn't think to ask any questions. Does this mean the DA agreed a crime was committed, and that he is going to be arrested?

 

[LdiJ]

Yesterday I filled out and signed a declaration that my son-in-law stole the cedar chest. I also signed one on the ex-girlfriend because I had written proof she had items from the chest. I was told the DA would have to look read them, and it would be his decision to arrest. Today I got a call from the office asking for an address where my son-in-law could be found. I was caught by surprise and didn't think to ask any questions. Does this mean the DA agreed a crime was committed, and that he is going to be arrested?

It doesn't mean that for certain, but it certainly is a promising sign.

 

[Proserpina]

I spoke with a police officer, he took his name and info down. This was on a sunday. He said if I wanted to file a warrant do it the next day. That Monday I went to the office and spoke with the people there. I was told I could file a warrant, but it probably wouldn't do any good. That it would be up to a court person (confused) if charges could be filed. I probably could file a civil suit, though. I'm not getting much help either way. I really don't know what to do. I know what the girlfriend told me, that he gave the chest to her mother. That it was even still there (as of a week + ago) and that the girlfriend had a few pieces of jewelry from it. This sounds trivial but it is, and has, broken me emotionally. The chest was full of my mothers keepsakes. They are most likely destroyed. The person who stole it has been a part of our family since he was 20, he is now 40. My mother even helped support him in her life. As did I. He has destroyed my family and I want him to pay for this with jail time. One, two days. However it will be. He is walking free with my daughter (who gave up her self respect and dignity) by his side after this whole year of drugs and women and leaving her and her daughter, stealing from me and my deceased mother. I want him to have to own up to the law and be held accountable, but I don't have resources to hire an attorney. If I have to do it by myself I want to know what to do, how to do it. I apologize for my rant. I'm very upset and hurt. I'm not even positive he spoke with my son-in-law. I have a printed out message where the ex-girlfriend sent me a picture of the cedar chest, empty, and her saying she had just a few of her things. Like rings. She is saying he took it to her mother's house, which I find hard to believe, because she sent me the picture from her FaceBook account. It was within minuets after I asked to see the chest. She never showed me the other things, though she did tell me in person she would give them back. Since then I can't get in contact with her. She wants me to have him arrested, and I want to, but I feel this for her is a romantic vendetta, wanting not to own any part of it. I would like to see both of them arrested. I just don't want to go through with the warrants if she walks free. She was the reason he did this (mostly) and she gained from it. I just don't know what to do.

I think you could use some counseling.

 

[not2cleverRed]

I think you could use some counseling.

Posting hx is a nightmare.

Really.

 

[commentator]

"...but I don't have resources to hire an attorney. If I have to do it by myself I want to know what to do, how to do it.

Horse hockey! If you do not have the resources to hire a lawyer, forget about it! Seriously. This is garbage and will keep being garbage until you either get over it or get an attorney to represent you.

 

[quincy]

... Today I got a call from the office asking for an address where my son-in-law could be found. I was caught by surprise and didn't think to ask any questions. Does this mean the DA agreed a crime was committed, and that he is going to be arrested?

Asking for the address means that your complaint is being looked into. It does not on its own mean anything other than this. It does not mean the DA thinks your son-in-law is guilty nor does it mean an arrest is imminent.