Anne Heche's estate is currently unable to pay off its debts, her son claimed in new court documents.
Homer Laffoon, the late actor's 22-year-old son and executor of the estate, said in legal documents obtained by The Times that his mother's estate is “not in a position to close.” The report, filed Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court, details the composition of Heche's estate and various creditor claims, including those arising from the August 2022 car accident that killed the actor and set a Mar Vista home on fire.
For the record:
15:01 April 25, 2024An earlier version of this article quoted Homer Laffoon referring to “predator claims” in legal documents. In fact, he wrote “creditor claims.”
“Based on the anticipated value of the combined inventories and appraisals, and creditor claims submitted, the estate is insolvent,” said Laffoon, Heche's son and ex-husband Coley Laffoon.
According to the report, Heche's assets consist of “a modest bank account,” royalties from projects that preceded his death, “a corporation in which [Heche] was the sole shareholder (used for development projects and business functions related to the decedent's career in the entertainment industry)”, “an LLC membership interest related to a podcast [Heche] helped create” and personal property. The actor's assets totaled approximately $110,000, according to legal documents.
The report also says sales of Heche's posthumous memoir, “Call Me Anne,” published in 2023, “are not strong” and the book is expected to bring in less than $25,000.
Heche, who was an Emmy and Tony nominated actress, succumbed to injuries from her car accident on August 11, 2022. She was 53 years old. The Los Angeles County medical examiner determined she died from smoke inhalation and thermal injuries. ”
In November 2023, a Los Angeles woman who lived in the Mar Vista home destroyed by Heche sued the actor's estate. Lynne Mishele is one of three people who filed claims for $2 million against the actor's estate. Legal documents show that Jennifer and John Durand, owners of the Mar Vista home, are the other two claimants.
Heche's estate is also facing a multimillion-dollar claim from her ex-boyfriend Thomas Jane, among others.
Laffoon's report says she is working with Heche's ex-boyfriend, James Tupper, to sell some of her mother's properties before “the property sales company liquidates the remaining items.” The report adds that he is also seeking to negotiate “appropriate settlements” with claims against her mother's estate.
“[Laffoon] is cautiously optimistic that all creditor claims can be resolved fairly and without litigation,” the court documents said.
A legal representative for Laffoon did not immediately respond to the Times' request for comment.
