Guns belonging to Las Vegas massacre shooter destroyed, property sold with proceeds to be divided among victims’ families
Some of the original 58 wooden crosses that were set up as part of a memorial after the 2017 Las Vegas massacre are seen here.
By Cheri Mossburg, CNN
The estate of Stephen Paddock, the gambler who carried out the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history, has been sold off by court order and the proceeds will be evenly divided among the loved ones of the victims he killed in Las Vegas in 2017, an attorney for the victims said.
From his hotel room overlooking the Route 91 Harvest Festival, Paddock opened fire, killing dozens of innocent victims and wounding hundreds more.
“This is absolute relief. We wanted to ensure that the families received small token of reparation from Paddock,” Las Vegas attorney Alice Denton told CNN of the final order being granted in court on Thursday, bringing to a close the six-year process of settling debts and selling assets.
Most of the $1.4 million generated from Paddock’s estate was from properties in Henderson, Reno, and Mesquite, Nevada. After accounting and real estate fees, about $1.3 million will be evenly split among the survivors of 61 victims, according to a petition filed in Clark County District Court. That equates to approximately $21,300 each. Funds will be disbursed in the next four to six weeks, Denton said.
Paddock’s heir — his mother — waived her rights to inherit anything from her son, as noted in a court filing reassigning her rights to the estates of the victims.
CNN previously reported 58 people died in the shooting. Denton said two more died later, but she could not comment on the final victim of the 61 named in the petition. The official list of victims’ names remains under seal.
In 2019, an anonymous donor gave $62,500 to cover the estimated value of Paddock’s weapons on the condition they be demolished.
Of the 49 guns Paddock owned, 13 have been retained by the FBI and the rest were destroyed, said Denton, who shepherded the case pro bono.
Keeping the guns out of the community was an important factor for Denton, who estimates that it cost her small firm about $200,000 in fees. “If we saved one life it was worth it,” she said.
“This has been a case that we took on based on love and affection for our community,” Denton said. “It was a labor of love to ensure we live in a better, safer environment.”
The-CNN-Wire
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