Question about motives in mystery shows -- X-PHILES WORLD-TV Watchers Room

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Date Posted: 07:59:23 07/26/11 Tue
Author: Islandgirl
Subject:

Question about motives in mystery shows

This is a scenario I've encountered several times in recent mystery TV shows or movies. Some wealthy person is murdered. Several people stand to inherit. The detective always tries to figure out who the one who needs money immediately and thus has the strongest motive for murder.

Here's my question: Do you actually get money "immediately" when you inherit it? Does somebody really show up at the funeral to hand out checks? I would think it would be a process of several months for the will to be probated, the estate to be settled, etc. So I'd think that murdering Great Uncle Ebenezer on Monday so that you could leave for your fabulous trip to the Congo (or pay off the mafia goons or whatever) by Saturday would not, in reality, do you a lick of good!

But I just don't know. My own parents are, happily, still alive. I don't have any wealthy, childless aunts or uncles. Thus, I have never inherited anything and honestly don't know how the process works.

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Replies:

Re: Question about motives in mystery shows -- BDM, 11:53:29 07/26/11 Tue
- Re: Question about motives in mystery shows -- CW, 10:01:36 07/27/11 Wed