The son of late actor Anne Heche said his mother’s estate is unable to pay its outstanding debts, totalling more than US$6 million (over C$8.2 million).
According to new court documents obtained by People magazine, Heche’s 22-year-old son Homer Laffoon said the estate is insolvent and “not yet in a condition to be closed.”
Heche, who was 53, died in Los Angeles, Calif. after she crashed her car into a residential home in August 2022. She fell into a coma and died a week after the incident. An autopsy revealed Heche was not intoxicated or impaired at the time of the crash.
Laffoon is the proprietor of Heche’s estate, and the oldest of her two sons.
In the court filing, Laffoon said the actor’s estate consists of “a modest bank account, royalty payments and other residual income from pre-death projects.” The estate also includes a corporation in which Heche was a shareholder, an LLC membership interest related to a podcast as well as personal property items.
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Many of Heche’s assets are still being appraised. Laffoon alleged some of the items already assessed have amounted to US$110,000 (about C$150,800).
Laffoon also reported Heche’s posthumous memoir Call Me Anne did not perform well, with less than US$25,000 (about C$34,250) in estimated income.
The sum is not enough to pay the seven creditors with claims against the estate. Laffoon’s court filing claims three of the creditors are seeking US$2 million (over C$2.7 million) each.
Among the creditors seeking $2 million are the owners of the home into which Heche crashed her car and the renter who was living in the home, who subsequently lost many of her belongings.
Heche’s ex-boyfriend, actor Thomas Jane, also filed a claim against Heche’s estate in 2022, seeking repayment of a loan of more than US$150,000 (nearly C$205,600).
In the filing, Laffoon said he is “actively engaged in attempts to negotiate appropriate settlements of the claims against the Estate.”
He claimed to be meeting with creditors “in an attempt to avoid protracted and expensive litigation” and is “cautiously optimistic” the claims can be resolved without going to court.
Laffoon is the son of Heche and ex-husband Coleman “Coley” Laffoon, a real estate advisor.
Heche reportedly did not have a will. Laffoon requested control of his mother’s estate shortly after her death.
The court filing says Heche’s estate may not be closed until at least July 2025.
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