Napier gunman's partner loses estate bid

The partner of Napier gunman Jan Molenaar has lost her bid to control his estate.

Molenaar killed himself after a three-day armed standoff at his property in May, which left one policeman dead. His estate consisted of two houses and $90,000 but he died without leaving a will .

Delwyn Keefe, 44, was Molenaar's de facto partner for 11 years.

In August Keefe applied to become administrator of the estate, but the following month, Molenaar's 19-year-old son Maddison Molenaar lodged an interest in the estate and opposed Keefe's application, The Dominion Post reported.

Keefe claimed Molenaar believed Maddison Molenaar was not his biological son and requested a DNA test be performed. Tests have not yet been carried out.

Maddison Molenaar opposed Keefe being appointed administrator because of her convictions and his lawyer, Nathan Gray, argued Keefe was not competent and would not be able to administer the estate from prison.

Mr Gray also said Keefe's paternity claim was opportunistic and brought into question her ability to treat all claimants to the estate even-handedly.

In a decision issued yesterday Justice Pamela Andrews found it was appropriate that the estate be handled by the Public Trustee because of Keefe's offending.

Last week Keefe was sentenced to two years and three months' jail after being convicted of one charge of selling cannabis and two others of offering to supply and of possessing the drug for supply.

In September the Solicitor-General issued a restraining order on all Molenaar's assets and ordered that they be put under control of the Official Assignee.

- NZPA