Sam Spade

as reported by samantha spade

Joe Gamble died a horrible death, poisoned by his friend Johnny DoGood.  Once the dust settled, Johnny did not get the $3 million life insurance policy Joe left him, because insurance companies will not pay out the murderer of the deceased.

But because of one certain persistent investigator, Joe can now be truly at rest, because the rest of his wishes were followed.

Under his Will, his housekeeper, Abby Stern, inherited several million dollars of assets that were in his name at his death, plus the life insurance.  And his wonderful niece, Candy Sweet, was well taken care of by the over $2 million he left to her via his Living Trust, once I found it in his candy jar. 

And, really, Joe got his fondest wish.  His ill-advised tests of his friends and family did in fact reveal who was true and trustworthy and who was not.  I’ve often noticed, by the way, how true and trustworthy women can be, which is not to say that Johnny DoGood is the only type of man out there…

I hope all of you have learned that lesson that Joe should have also learned.  Don’t tempt fate.  More important, having an organized estate plan assures that your assets go where you want without unnecessary costs, such as having a private investigator have to search out the bits and pieces that add up to your current plan. 

If you’re ready to get your estate plan in order, call my lawyers for an appointment at (815) 436-1996.

© 2016 Gruber Law Office, Ltd.

as reported by samantha spade

I feel compelled to report that again I am victorious over the obstacles Joe Gamble tried to put in everyone’s way.  I looked for weeks to find the Living Trust of Joe Gamble dated 2/19/2001.  After all, the trust owned a brokerage account worth over $2 million.

I left no drawer, file, picture frame, or book in the house untouched, but I couldn’t find it.  I was reduced to considering peeling off wall paper when I noticed his dishes in the dining room.  There really were some strange ones. 

I found that Trust rolled up in a very tall ornate candy jar of all places.  And Joe was playing another joke when he put it in that jar.  You see, that Trust left everything in it, to the tune of over $2 million now, to his niece, Candy Sweet. 

So the housekeeper didn’t get everything after all.  Even Joe Gamble made sure to look out for his own, so long as there was a top-notch investigator to track down all his little jokes.

Don’t count on having someone like me around after you die; after all, I’m in a pretty high risk job.  Instead, make sure you plan and organize your estate so it’s easy to find the important stuff.  My lawyers can help you do that if you call for an appointment at (815) 436-1996 to work on an estate plan.

© 2016 Gruber Law Office, Ltd.

as reported by samantha spade

I’m still looking for that trust that Joe Gamble supposedly established in 2001.  But I found out something about the $57,000 worth of unknown bank accounts I ferreted out of Gamble’s awful record keeping paper piles.  Guess what could have happened if no one made the search I did?

In Illinois, after 7 years of no activity on an account, the bank is supposed to report the account as “unclaimed property” to the government.  Then the bank turns over the money to Illinois. 

Illinois publishes a list of names in local newspapers once.  Then, if nobody ever claims the money, the state can keep the money from the account and put it into the state treasury toward pension funds or something.

No wonder my lawyers send in requests for information about possible unclaimed property to the state when people have passed away.  Gamble would have been horrified about paying $57,000 of his hard-earned money to state for no other reason than unorganized records.

So, again, I keep learning how important to be organized.  If you need help figuring out how to organize your own affairs to be sure there are no unnecessary handouts to the state, call my lawyers for an appointment at (815) 436-1996 to work on an estate plan.

© 2016 Gruber Law Office, Ltd.

as told by Samantha Spade

The search that millionaire Joe Gamble’s housekeeper, sole beneficiary and executor of his Will, hired to me to do has turned up a major find.  That man kept money so many places and ways that I almost missed another $2 million dollars.

Last week I found a reference to an account number at a brokerage firm that was supposedly held by Joe as trustee of the Living Trust of Joe Gamble dated 2/19/2001.  I really just expected another dead end when I called into the brokerage firm. But they said the account was live.  Then, after some work proving that as Joe’s executor’s authorized investigator I was entitled to the information, they revealed that the stock in the account was worth over $2 million.

But I still have a major problem.  I don’t know where the Living Trust itself is.  I must find it in order to know who gets the unexpected New Year’s gift from this great find.  (If you don’t mind my saying… not just any investigator would have found it).

You see, a Living Trust has its own list of beneficiaries.  I might have found some more money for the housekeeper, but who knows, someone else might be the lucky party this time.

A Living Trust can name who you want to get your money, just like a Will can, but they get it without going to probate court.  For help on figuring out how to leave your property the way you want, call my lawyers at (815) 436-1996 for an appointment. 

© 2016 Gruber Law Office, Ltd.

as told by Samantha Spade

Millionaire Joe Gamble’s untimely end by the hand of his friend Johnny DoGood brought some of Gamble’s weird quirks to light.  Abby is inheriting everything under Gamble’s Will and serves as the executor, too. 

She also will receive the $3 million from his life insurance that originally was supposed to go to his murderer (until I fingered DoGood).  His niece, Sweet, is just out in the cold.

Although she kept his home clean for him for seven years, one room was kept strictly locked, the inside of which Abby never even caught a glimpse of.  No wonder my lawyers got her to hire me to sort it out; the room was a fire hazard, filled with file cabinets and boxes, all overflowing with papers. 

So far I have tracked down about $57,000 worth of stock certificates and information about unknown bank accounts in the room.  I’ve also explored about $522,000 worth of leads that turned out to be dead ends. 

Now I’ve found a very interesting tidbit.  It says there was an account number at some brokerage firm opened in the name of Joe Gamble, as Trustee of the Living Trust of Joe Gamble Dated 2/19/2001.  I sense the need to keep detecting. 

Keep organized.  It’s the best defense against accidental after-death loss of the money and property you worked hard for all your life.  For guidance on preventing unnecessary shrinkage of your estate after death, call my lawyers at (815) 436-1996 for an appointment. 

© 2016 Gruber Law Office, Ltd.

as reported by Samantha Spade

These murder cases have a lot of legal aftermath.  By proving he was the murderer, I prevented Johnny DoGood from getting Joe Gamble’s life insurance money. 

Life insurance companies do not give money to the murderer of the insured.  After all, if they paid the murderer, it would encourage murder for money, and there’s plenty of that kind of murder already. 

But someone will get that money.  Once again, I was called into the case, this time by the insurance company.  Tony Post was listed as back-up beneficiary and should get the money instead.  But the company didn’t know where he was, and they hired me to find him.  I found him – in September’s obituaries.

For a guy who did a new Will every month, Gamble sure didn’t keep very up to date on designating his life insurance beneficiaries.

Now the insurance company will add the money to Gamble’s estate to be given out under the Will, as there is no other alternative.  Under the policy, the insured’s probate estate was the automatic final backup. 

That means Abby Stern is going to inherit Gamble’s cash and land, plus the extra $3 million life insurance, pretty nifty compensation for a 7-year housekeeping job.  So the winner took all in Gamble’s final game of roulette.

It is important to keep your whole estate plan up to date, so that your money can be split and distributed as you want.  For help updating your plan, call my lawyers at (815) 436-1996 for an appointment. 

© 2016 Gruber Law Office, Ltd.

as reported by Samantha Spade

An investigator’s job is never done, especially when the victim is someone with Joe Gamble’s weird sense of humor.  I found the murderer, but then my lawyer asked me to look into a witness on his last Will.  She was not on all other 11 Wills.

Well, I searched and searched.  But nowhere could I find Fanny Wisp.  In fact, the address listed, 167 Forb Drive, Plainfield, didn’t even exist.  Finally, I compared the signature to Gamble’s.  Later, a handwriting expert confirmed what I suspected; Gamble had thrown another curve. 

He thought it was funny to tell his lawyer to just leave the Will at home with him in December, because Gamble had told his witnesses to come at the wrong time.  Then, he cancelled one witness, made up a name and signed as a witness to his own Will.

This makes a world of difference to his niece Candy Sweet.  In Illinois, if there are not two real witnesses to a Will, it is invalid.  That means the court will follow directions in the Will before this one.  That earlier Will (from November) gives everything to Abby Stern the housekeeper.

Now Stern will be able to buy that house she covets on Easy Street on the near south side of Plainfield.  In fact, she can buy practically any house.  She has inherited at least a few million dollars worth of land and cash.  By next week I will know what happens to the $3 million of insurance money that the murderer Johnny DoGood was supposed to get.

To make sure your own Will is properly drawn and executed, call my attorneys at (815) 436-1996 for an appointment. 

© 2016 Gruber Law Office, Ltd.

as reported by Samantha Spade

Last week, I told you I had two suspects; that is, of course, one too many.  Monday I found another one when the insurance company called, and the next day the case was solved.  This guy is guilty as sin. 

He was also at the house that day.  And he might have been there when Joe Gamble actually died.  To seal the case, we found leftover poison in his apartment after the police got a search warrant. 

He was an old friend of Gamble’s.  So, you ask, what’s the motive?  No, not jealousy or anything interesting like that.  It’s another money one.  A leading cause of murder, you know, is money. 

And this was a lot of money.  Gamble had a few million in cash and property.  But he also had a gigantic $3 million life insurance policy.  First, twelve Wills and now this, it’s almost like he was daring someone to kill him.  Talk about a nuisance for the investigator. 

The named beneficiary of this insurance was his great friend Johnny DoGood.  I didn’t let the name fool me.  DoGood would get the insurance money no matter what any Will said.  Life insurance is paid according to the insurance papers, not the Will.

Wills don’t control certain assets, so you should be sure that all your papers are up to date and all of your estate will pass as you wish.  For a coordinated estate plan (so as to make identification of possible suspects in your own murder easier), call my attorneys at (815) 436-1996 for an appointment. 

© 2016 Gruber Law Office, Ltd

as told by Samantha Spade

It turns out that the murder victim, Joe Gamble, was a very bizarre rich man.  Last week I found out that he had only one living relative.  So if he didn’t write a Will, his niece Candy Sweet would inherit all.  Then, Wills kept showing up, in fact, 12 of them.

These Wills rotated lucky winners of Gamble’s money.  Gamble must have been a big fan of roulette and his lawyer, because he executed a new Will on the first day of every month.  In September, his housekeeper Abby Stern was to inherit; in October, Sweet was to hit the jackpot; in November, Stern again, and so on. 

Gamble was murdered December 25, and December was Sweet’s turn.  So all indicators seemed to point again to Sweet, as she would inherit.  You see, the last valid Will wipes out any earlier Wills if it conflicts with them – even if there is still a proper copy of another one around.

Thing is that each woman thought that she was to inherit all the millions, since Gamble had shown each only a Will where he named her.  In other words, after all this research, I still had two suspects, both with opportunity and motive.  At this point, I just had to try to catch one in a lie.

Your last Will and Testament must be done right to be respected after death.  To make sure your last wishes are written up properly, call my lawyers at (815) 436-1996 for an appointment. 

© 2016 Gruber Law Office, Ltd.

as told by Samantha Spade

Merry Christmas from me and my lawyers!  But I’m reporting on a Christmas past.  Here is my second weekly report to my lawyers about Joe Gamble’s murder.  Joe died last Christmas eating poisoned leftover turkey from his fabulous Thanksgiving feast he’d had cooked by his housekeeper, Abby Stern. 

At least two people could have added the poison to the turkey after Thanksgiving after it was taken from the freezer that morning.  Both Stern and Joe’s niece, Candy Sweet, admitted they had each been in the house on Christmas morning. 

Hoping to narrow down the field, I am investigating motive.  Like I said in my last report, Candy would inherit if Joe had no Will, but … she’s so nice.  Stern seems more like the murdering type.  That frowning woman might like life on Easy Street instead of working for an honest living. 

Plus, Joe was very particular.  The Thanksgiving meal he dreamed up for her to cook was difficult enough that she’d had to throw away her first try at the stuffing and have a second go at it before he said it was good enough.  That might have been enough even without having a possible inheritance on the line. 

If I could just find a Will, I might find with it a second motive for her.  After all, in a Will, Gamble could have given his money to her instead. 

You too can decide who is to get your property after you die if you write a Will.  For help putting your wishes into proper legal form, call my lawyers at (815) 436-1996 for an appointment. 

© 2015 Gruber Law Office, Ltd.

as told by Samantha Spade

I did not see this case coming last year.  It was a case of murder most fowl.  The Thanksgiving turkey leftovers were poisoned when Joe Gamble tried to eat them for his Christmas dinner.

Going back in time, here is what I figured Joe was doing a year ago today – planning a great Thanksgiving meal – a meal that could drive his housekeeper/cook, Abby Stern, nuts!

His stuffing had to have a hint of sage, pecans, walnuts, and craisins.  He decided the turkey must be injected with apple juice and thyme.  The sweet potatoes would not be sweet enough unless candied, and the gravy made from drippings with ground giblets, only lightly salted and a rich brown color.  Dessert would be marbled chocolate pumpkin cheesecake.

He was sure Abby would knock herself out getting it exactly the way he wanted it.  He’d made sure she knew he was planning to sign a new Will on Friday, when his overworked lawyer was coming over to supervise.  So Abby would surely hope that a perfectly satisfying meal would help motivate him to sign naming her as the biggest beneficiary, as he had hinted recently.

Who knew that he would find himself dead within weeks?  But, ahhh, first, a day to give thanks for the meal of a king!

My lawyers and staff at the Gruber Law Office called me in after the fact to figure out Joe’s murder, but I will tell you the story about that some other time.  Right now we are hoping you are able to detect so many reasons to be thankful that your cup overflows.  Happy Thanksgiving to all of our readers!

© 2015 Gruber Law Office, Ltd.