Feldkamp probates drag on and on

The probates of the estates of the late Jack and Audrey Feldkamp drag on and on, with little apparent progress toward closing them. Why are they still open?

John G. (Jack) Feldkamp, 83, died on June 7, 2011 in the family home in McHenry County, southeast of Marengo. Audrey Feldkamp, 81, was fatally injured in the home and died late that evening after being airlifted to Rockford. Doran Bloom, 27, also died that night. Scott Feldkamp, 54, was injured.

The investigation of the triple homicide there on June 7 was finished in less than 24 hours, with Sheriff Nygren's announcement to the media. The Sheriff failed to activate the Major Investigations Assistance Team (MIAT). Many questions remain unanswered. Some sharp eyes who have read all the reports have told me it's the worst investigation of murders that they have ever seen.

The first Executor of the estates was the son of the late Feldkamps, Scott Feldkamp. In the second half of 2012, Scott Feldkamp was removed as Executor, and his sister, Jackie, was named successor executor by Probate Judge Michael Chmiel. Soon after that, her appointment was challenged, and she was removed. Woodstock Attorney Howard Rigsby was appointed as second successor executor. And soon after that, Woodstock Attorney Carl Gilmore replaced Rigsby and was named third successor executor.

Executor Gilmore has been trying to collect records of what assets were originally in the estates and what happened to them. Apparently, records are skimpy or non-existent for the period when Scott Feldkamp was the executor.

On November 18, 2013, the Probate Court ordered that records be produced by December 31. They weren't.

On January 7 the Probate Court ordered Scott Feldkamp and Jackie Feldkamp to appear today, February 6. If they weren't represented by attorneys, they were to appear personally. Neither did.

Late last year Hampshire attorney Duane Slayton informed Judge Chmiel that he had lost contact with his client, Scott Feldkamp; yet he told Judge Chmiel that Scott continued to be disabled from the injuries he suffered on June 7, 2011. Judge Chmiel asked Slayton how he could continue to represent Scott, if he had lost contact with him. Slayton was not in court today.

Does anybody know where Scott Feldkamp is? He left McHenry County for Florida in May 2012, during the term of his appointment as Executor. The Court wants to know what happened to cash assets from bank accounts and proceeds from the liquidation of any investments. Household furnishings and personal property were sold, and the Court wants to know what happened to the sale proceeds.

The family home is in foreclosure, and there was a man living in the house, presumably as caretaker of the property. He may or may not still be there, and it is unknown whether he was living there rent-free under some arrangement made with Scott Feldkamp or his attorney. If the person was not living there and paying fair market value of rent, why was that arrangement allowed to continue? Rent would have provided important funds to the estate for payment of property taxes, utilities, insurance and upkeep, plus estate administration expenses.

The next court date is March 5th at 9:30AM.