Boxing legend Tommy Hearns placed under guardianship and conservatorship

On Wednesday, Oakland County Chief Probate Judge Pro Tempore Daniel A. O’Brien appointed Ronald Hearns, Tommy’s oldest son, as the sole guardian and conservator for his father.
 

By: Heather Catallo

(WXYZ) — He’s a boxing legend and beloved in Detroit. But world champion Thomas ‘The Hitman’ Hearns now finds himself in the middle of a new kind of fight: a guardianship court battle.

Different sides of his family have claimed the champion boxer was being kept from them, and Adult Protective Services (APS) officials testified in court that they are looking into whether he’s been the victim of financial exploitation and alleged kidnapping by some relatives.
 
On Wednesday, Oakland County Chief Probate Judge Pro Tempore Daniel A. O’Brien appointed Ronald Hearns, Tommy’s oldest son, as the sole guardian and conservator for his father.  That means Ronald Hearns has the power to make all the medical and financial decisions for his father.
 
Tommy Hearns spoke exclusively to the 7 Investigators about the court battle.

“I'm fine. I want the world to know that I'm doing fine. I feel good,” Hearns told 7 Investigator Heather Catallo.

Hearns says he wants the community to know he’s safe.

“I just want things to just be calm and good, and just move smoothly,” said Hearns.

“Mr. Hearns is revered in this community for all he's done, for all his giving back to the community, to the city of Detroit, to the boxing world,” said attorney Wolf Mueller.

Mueller represents Hearns’ oldest son, Ronald, and is the former chairman of the Michigan Unarmed Combat Commission, the government commission that’s responsible for overseeing professional boxing and mixed martial arts in Michigan.

“So my job with the conservator and the court is to make sure that nobody takes advantage of him and he is treated with dignity and respect that he so richly deserves,” said Mueller. “I think there is a lot of evidence that he's been taking advantage of recently.”

“My dad is a great man, has a big heart, and for him to be going through this type of situation at this time in his life is terrible,” said Ronald Hearns.

Hearns started boxing at age 10, won six championship titles, and was the first boxer ever to win titles in five different weight classes. He was inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame in 2012.

At an emergency guardianship hearing on February 23, only our cameras were there as Oakland County Chief Probate Judge Pro Tem Daniel O’Brien took testimony from APS workers who were searching for Hearns after they said his daughter and his sister would not reveal the location of the 67-year-old.

“I am ordering you to tell me where Thomas Hearns is,” Judge O’Brien told Natasha Barnes, one of Hearns’ daughters.
“Ok,” said Barnes.
“So, tell me where he is,” said the Judge.
“That’s why I would like to receive legal counsel, to explain the situation where my father is, and what to do from here,” said Barnes.
“I can hold you in contempt of court until you give that information up. That’s okay with you?” said Judge O’Brien.
“No, I do not want to be held in contempt of court,” said Barnes.
“Then tell us where your father is,” said Judge O’Brien.
“I don’t have my father sir,” said Barnes.

Hearns was not at the address that was eventually provided in court by Barnes’ mother. He was later turned over to other relatives at the Detroit Police 12th precinct.

APS officials also said they were suspicious after a GoFundMe online fundraiser was set up, allegedly by Hearns’ sister, Louise. She did not appear in court Wednesday.

“So, your impression is they were using Mr. Hearns as some kind of commercial advertiser,” asked Judge O’Brien.

“Correct,” said attorney Michael Dean, the Guardian Ad Litem temporarily appointed to explain a ward’s rights during a guardianship proceeding. “She set up a GoFundMe account as well for the care of Thomas Hearns, as well as stating in the Facebook post that anyone interested in promoting opportunities with Thomas Hearns was to contact her.”

By Wednesday morning, all sides of the family agreed to allow Ronald Hearns to be in charge of his father’s care and finances.

Citing a dementia diagnosis, Judge O’Brien appointed Ronald Hearns as guardian and conservator of Thomas Hearns.

“Everybody loves Mr. Hearns and wants the best for him. I'm assuming that, and I think that's probably true. So that's what everybody should be working for and not focusing on their past grievances,” said Judge O’Brien.

“Just keep praying for my dad and the family as we move forward in our lives,” said Ronald Hearns. “That's my main goal, to make sure that he's enjoying his life and nobody else can hurt him in any kind of way, financially, physically, or mentally.”

“Knowing that you've been loved and been thought about, it's a good feeling because people don't have to think about you or care anything about you at all. But when people do care about you, and they really do love you… " It's a good feeling for me,” said Tommy Hearns.

Unfortunately, Hearns’ home was lost to tax foreclosure recently. He is now living with his oldest son. Ronald asks that the community refrain from donating to any online fundraisers; he says they do not consider those legitimate.

“Thomas Hearns is a legend and an icon in this community. Everybody loves Thomas Hearns. He has dignity and respect. He wants his autonomy. And all of that should be respected so that he can continue to live as he wants to live and make sure that nobody is taking advantage of him,” said Mueller.

If you have a story for Heather Catallo, please email her at hcatallo@wxyz.com 

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Boxing legend Tommy Hearns placed under guardianship and conservatorship 

Decatur police officer on leave after being charged with Financial Exploitation of an Elderly Person

By Stephanie Obediku

DECATUR, Ala. (WAFF) - A Decatur police officer is now on administrative leave after he was arrested Monday night.

Officer Elijah Cole is charged with Theft-First Degree and Financial Exploitation of an Elderly Person.

Cole’s arrest stems from an investigation into a December report alleging criminal activity by a DPD officer.

He has served for over four years with the department, in two separate periods of employment, as a patrol officer.

No further information is available as an internal investigation is underway.  

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Decatur police officer on leave after being charged with Financial Exploitation of an Elderly Person 

V.A. Begins Drive to Put Homeless Veterans Into Guardianship

A joint effort with the Justice Department creates new authority to compel veterans into institutional or involuntary care. 

By Ellen Barry and Jason DeParle

The Trump administration on Wednesday announced a new effort to initiate legal guardianships for homeless veterans, which could be used to force more of them into involuntary or institutional care.

The new system, carried out in partnership with the Justice Department, will invest Veterans Affairs Department attorneys with expanded powers that would allow them to initiate and take part in guardianship proceedings for veterans who have no family and are “unable to make their own health care decisions.”

The initiative represents the Trump administration’s most concrete action to advance its goal of compelling more homeless people into involuntary treatment for mental illness and drug addiction.

President Trump identified the issue as a priority during the 2024 presidential campaign and promoted it last July in an executive order that called on agencies to use civil commitment to move homeless people into “long-term institutional settings.”

Critics say the policy shift raises significant civil liberties concerns, noting that in earlier generations, people with severe mental illness were routinely stripped of their legal rights and confined to state hospitals.

The V.A. says the guardianship initiative would affect “hundreds” of veterans who are currently in V.A. facilities but need “a legal decision maker” to transition to a new setting. Some are homeless, and others are “at risk of homelessness” upon discharge, the agency said in a press statement.

“Our new partnership with the Justice Department reflects our ongoing commitment to ensuring that every veteran receives timely, appropriate care,” said Doug Collins, the V.A. secretary.

Guardianship powers are broader and longer lasting than civil commitment, which is used to compel someone to accept medical treatment.

Guardianship proceedings are typically initiated by family members, friends or health care providers, and are argued before state or probate judges, with the subject entitled to legal representation. If a court finds that the person is not able to make basic decisions about health and safety, a guardian is appointed.

Guardians can control a person’s assets, where the person lives and whom he or she sees. They can also require the person to accept medical treatment. Unlike civil commitment rulings, which expire after a specific time period, guardianships are intended to be durable, though they are revisited periodically and can be terminated or dissolved.

Michael Figlioli, the director of the National Veterans Service for the Veterans of Foreign Wars, commended the change, which he said recognizes “that some of our nation’s most vulnerable veterans must be approached through a public health and social services framework.”

If thoughtfully carried out, he said, guardianships could provide more “structured support” for vulnerable veterans, though he noted “important considerations regarding veterans’ privacy, potential implementation gaps and the need for sufficient resources.”

Rights advocates said they were alarmed by the proposal, which they saw as part of a drive by the administration to place homeless people in institutional settings against their will.

“My speculation is that they are seeking to have people placed under guardianship so they can have a person appointed who will force them into congregate or institutional settings when there isn’t anything else available,” said Jennifer Mathis, the deputy director of the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law.

If there are veterans “sitting in V.A. hospitals” unable to be discharged, as the V.A. says, she said, it is “almost certainly” because there are long waits for intensive community services or independent housing. She added that it is highly unusual for the Justice Department to take a role in guardianship proceedings, which are governed by state laws.

“I don’t know what their authority is,” Ms. Mathis said. The federal government, she added, “has very little to do with guardianship.”

Stephen Eide, who studies homelessness at the Manhattan Institute, welcomed the Trump administration’s efforts to expand guardianship, which he said could protect people at risk of “slow-motion suicide.”

“More use of involuntary treatment is essential to solving street homelessness,” he said.

But he cautioned that successful implementation could be challenging, since it requires coordinated efforts among police officers, social workers, clinicians and lawyers, often employed by different levels of government. “It’s hard to change big systems,” he said.

A pilot project to expand guardianships at the V.A. has been under discussion for months.

The pilot, called “Project Safe Harbor,” identified five V.A. hubs that had been selected to test a “guardianship model for veterans experiencing homelessness” who lack capacity to make “appropriate medical and social decisions for themselves,” according to an internal memo shared with The New York Times. The sites were asked to refer veterans and take legal steps for “placement into appropriate care sites.”

There are about 33,000 homeless veterans in the United States, about 14,000 of whom live on the streets. Veterans make up around 5 percent of the unsheltered homeless population. 

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V.A. Begins Drive to Put Homeless Veterans Into Guardianship

Billings Woman Charged with Elder Abuse, Deliberate Homicide by Accountability

BILLINGS, Mont. — Samantha Marie Finch, 32, has been charged with deliberate homicide by accountability, elder abuse, forgery, and tampering with evidence. The charges relate to the death of her grandfather, D.R.F., 79, which occurred between September 2022 and November 2024.

According to official court documents from the Yellowstone County Attorney's Office, Finch allegedly encouraged her boyfriend, Dean Frost, to strangle her grandfather. After the death, she is accused of attempting to conceal the crime by moving D.R.F.’s body into a camper. The documents also allege she gained control of her grandfather’s funds and property through deception and failed to provide necessary care for him.

Investigators found suspicious financial activity in D.R.F.’s accounts, including significant withdrawals linked to Finch. Frost has confessed to the murder as part of a plea deal, saying he strangled D.R.F. and that Finch pressured him to act. He also described a failed attempt to poison D.R.F. with fentanyl.

The court documents note communications showing tension between Finch and Frost after the murder, including Frost expressing regret and his intent to confess. The investigation is ongoing as law enforcement continues gathering evidence and testimony.

The charges against Finch highlight a case of alleged homicide, financial exploitation, and abuse of a vulnerable adult.

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Billings Woman Charged with Elder Abuse, Deliberate Homicide by Accountability 

Ethics commission recommends removal of Anne Arundel probate judge Marc Knapp

by Alex Mann

A Maryland commission that investigates wrongdoing by judges recommended that the state’s highest court remove Anne Arundel County Orphans’ Court Judge Marc Knapp from the probate bench.  

According to an opinion published online Tuesday, the commission, made up of judges, lawyers and civilians, voted unanimously to recommend Knapp’s removal.

The commission’s decision follows days of trial-like proceedings last fall in Howard County Circuit Court, where the commission’s investigative counsel, which functions like a prosecution, presented its case against Knapp. The judge then had an opportunity to put on his own case.

“I’m very disappointed, unhappy with what they’ve done,” Knapp told The Banner by phone Tuesday. ”I don’t agree with what they’ve done.”

Investigative counsel and Knapp can file written exceptions to the commission’s findings. The commission can then respond.

The decision on punishment falls to the Supreme Court of Maryland, which can order memorandums from both sides. Knapp’s disciplinary action is likely to be placed on an expedited docket.

Knapp already filed for reelection. It’s unclear what would happen if he were to retain his seat on the bench at the ballot box, but then be removed by the state supreme court. It’s also unclear if he could continue running if the high court removes him from the bench before the election.

The accusations against Knapp stem from his longstanding and highly public dispute with Vickie Gipson, who was the chief judge of the Anne Arundel probate court.

Knapp and Gipson’s spat spilled out of chambers, where they yelled so loudly their voices could be heard throughout the nearby Register of Wills Office, and into the public eye.

Gipson twice summoned county police to the probate court and applied for a peace order against Knapp.

The Maryland Office of the State Prosecutor unsuccessfully prosecuted Knapp on the criminal charge of illegally recording his colleagues. An Anne Arundel Circuit Court judge found the recording in question was illegally obtained by police, forcing prosecutors to dismiss the case.

Both he and Gipson faced separate judicial ethics charges before the commission. It has not yet issued a ruling in Gipson’s case, which took longer than Knapp’s because of scheduling issues.

Investigative counsel argued in support of a litany of ethics charges that Gipson and Knapp’s behavior served to “denigrate public confidence” in the probate court. Some court staff who testified at Knapp’s hearings recalled litigants wondering whether the two were real judges.

It costs $25 to run for the county Orphans’ Court; a law degree is not required. Neither Knapp or Gipson had practiced law in Maryland.

When he testified in his hearings, Knapp admitted to cursing at his colleagues when he disagreed with them, belittling them and leaning over their desks during arguments.

“You’re not an attorney. You don’t know what the hell you’re doing,” Knapp recalled telling then-Orphans’ Court Judge David Duba during one argument.

He also repeatedly insulted Gipson’s writing and recalled once telling her to “quit dicking around” when he thought she was taking too long to issue an opinion.

When a court clerk got promoted, she testified, Knapp asked her, “How does it feel to finally be important?”

The commission found that Knapp’s behavior could not be rectified with a punishment lesser than removal.

“Respondent’s misconduct was pervasive and severe,” the commission’s opinion said. “It occurred on the bench, to court staff, and to judicial colleagues.”

The commission found that Knapp destroyed evidence in front of Anne Arundel County Police, exhibited bias, failed to cooperate with law enforcement, “was not fully credible before the commission” and regularly cursed during his testimony.

“All of this embarrasses the Maryland judiciary and diminishes the public’s trust in the Anne Arundel County Orphans Court,” the commission’s opinion said. 

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Ethics commission recommends removal of Anne Arundel probate judge Marc Knapp 

Feds Turn Up Heat On Detroit Judge As Guardianship Scandal Widens

By Javier Rodriguez

Federal prosecutors signaled in today's court filing that the corruption probe into suspended 36th District Judge Andrea Bradley‑Baskin is far from over and could soon grow larger, with the possibility of new charges on the horizon. The filing comes on top of a Jan. 30 indictment accusing Bradley‑Baskin and three Detroit residents of conspiring to siphon money and property from vulnerable wards in Wayne County's probate system. The case has reignited scrutiny of how guardians handle estates for people who are elderly, incapacitated or otherwise unable to manage their own affairs.

According to reporting by The Detroit News, prosecutors asked the court for more time to work through a growing pile of discovery and warned that additional defendants or criminal counts could surface as the investigation continues. The outlet reviewed filings and public records that it says add detail to an alleged pattern of asset‑stripping involving wards who were elderly, mentally incapacitated or already deceased. If prosecutors pursue a superseding indictment, it would be unsealed and added to the public docket once filed.

What prosecutors allege

A press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan says an indictment unsealed Jan. 30 charged Bradley‑Baskin, her father Avery Bradley, Nancy Williams and Dwight Rashad with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The filing also includes multiple money‑laundering counts and a false‑statement charge against Bradley‑Baskin. Prosecutors say Williams’ firm, Guardian & Associates, was appointed fiduciary in more than 1,000 probate cases and that funds intended for wards were diverted to the defendants. "This state judge and her cronies allegedly abused that high honor for personal gain by preying on the needy protected by the court," U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon said in the release.

What reporters found

Investigative work by The Detroit News and court records outline a series of transactions in which homes and bank accounts belonging to wards were allegedly sold or drained, with the proceeds routed to associates. Prosecutors, as cited by the outlet, point to specific examples: about $70,000 allegedly pulled to buy a stake in a bar, withdrawals used to lease a Brush Park townhouse valued at roughly $900,000, and tens of thousands of dollars for a two‑year lease on a luxury SUV. The government also highlights property transfers and rental payments tied to a co‑defendant’s group‑home business that, prosecutors allege, billed for residents who never actually lived there.

Court action and next steps

Chief 36th District Judge William McConico approved an administrative removal of Bradley‑Baskin from her docket in an effort to preserve public confidence while the federal case plays out, according to CBS Detroit. In the March 10 filing, prosecutors told the court the probe remains active and that additional charges could be necessary. The U.S. Attorney’s Office has also stressed that an indictment is an accusation, not proof of guilt. Should a superseding indictment be filed, it would be unsealed and the defendants would be arraigned on the expanded set of charges.

Legal implications

The federal counts listed in the indictment, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money‑laundering allegations and an alleged false statement to investigators, carry significant potential penalties if they result in convictions. They can also trigger state disciplinary proceedings that affect a judge’s law license and ability to remain on the bench. At the same time, families of alleged victims may pursue civil remedies while FBI and IRS criminal investigators continue to develop the case. Authorities have asked anyone with information about wards handled by Guardian & Associates or Tri‑State Guardian Services to contact investigators as the probe moves forward.

Taken together, the January indictment and the March 10 filing outline what federal officials characterize as a years‑long scheme. The next big public marker would be any superseding indictment, followed by fresh arraignments that could pull even more details about the alleged operation into open court.

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Feds Turn Up Heat On Detroit Judge As Guardianship Scandal Widens 

See Also:
Feds: Stealing from dead gave judge a luxe life in auto exec's home

Detroit judge, 3 others charged in alleged scheme to steal thousands from vulnerable and incapacitated people

Press Release: Sitting Judge and Three Others Charged with Scheme to Steal Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars from Vulnerable and Incapacitated Wards 

Detroit News: Detroit Judge Teamed With 2 Criminals to Help Buy And Sell Homes of the Vulnerable

FBI probe of Detroit probate court could lead to indictment

Court finds probate system did not deprive residents of rights

By: BridgeTower Media Newswires March 4, 2026

DETROIT, MI — Where a plaintiff has alleged that the state, through the probate court system and related agencies, has systematically deprived elderly Michigan residents, including her parents, of their right to manage their own affairs by forcing them into guardianships and conservatorships, the complaint must be dismissed because it is untimely under the Court of Claims Act.

“… Plaintiff’s complaint, the first notice of her action, was filed more than 14 months after her claims accrued. Because plaintiff did not timely file a notice of intent or complaint, the Court must dismiss her action. …

“… This action belongs to plaintiff’s parents, not her, and as plaintiff is not an attorney, she could not legally raise these claims on her parents’ behalves. This too supports dismissal of plaintiff’s complaint. …

“… This is an impermissible collateral attack that must be dismissed.”

Sanders v. State of Michigan; MiLW No. 04-110262, 6 pages; Court of Claims; Redford, J. 

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Court finds probate system did not deprive residents of rights 

$700k theft was stepdaughter’s scheme with boyfriend, Fresno DA says at trial

By Robert Rodriguez

As the population ages, older Americans are being victimized in a variety of ways. What can be done to recognize and prevent elder abuse? By Craig Kohlruss

Two former Fresno County residents are on trial this week, accused of taking advantage of a Sanger businessman and draining his estate of more than $700,000 over several years. 

Gina Abercrombie and her boyfriend, Justin D. Teel, both of Pleasanton in Alameda County, are charged with several felonies, including theft from an elder adult and obtaining money, labor or property by false pretenses.

If convicted, they each face more than five years in prison. 

During her opening statements, Senior Deputy District Attorney Lisa Urrizola shared with the jury the story of Randy Hansen, a successful entrepreneur who scratched out a tidy fortune following in the footsteps of his father, Emery Carol Hansen, a professional golfer who developed the 18-hole Sherwood Forest Golf Club in 1968. 

The Hansens also built a mobile home park and invested in real estate including homes in Bass Lake and Aptos. 

Randy Hansen stood to inherit the family fortune after his parents and brother passed away. His wife Deborah Hansen passed away in 2017, and that is when the trouble began, Urrizola told the jury.

At the center of the family tension were his daughters, Stacy Hansen Dovali, Randy Hansen’s biological daughter, and his stepdaughter, Gina Abercrombie, and her boyfriend, Justin Teel, whom she had known since high school. 

“After Deborah dies, Gina launches a full-on assault,” Urrizola said. “She completely went after Randy’s estate, cash and properties. And within six days, she had taken Randy to a lawyer to create a new trust.” 

Urrizola accuses Abercrombie and Teel of taking advantage of Hansen’s health. Hansen was suffering from diabetes, heart disease, prostate cancer and a stroke. 

She told the jury that Abercrombie convinced Hansen to give her authority over his finances through a power of attorney document. And she was also declared the proxy for Hansen’s health director in the event he was unable to make his own medical decisions. 

Teel is accused of lying to a real estate agent to sell one of Randy Hansen’s homes in Bass Lake. Teel allegedly told a real estate agent that Hansen signed a real estate contract to sell the home. Urrizola said Hansen was not aware the home was being sold. 

“The evidence will show that this was just a vehicle for Miss Abercrombie to funnel money out of the property,” she said. “It was just more gratuitous theft of Mr. Hansen’s money.” 

After his stroke, Hansen was supposed to be taken to therapy , but he never went. Instead, Abercrombie drove him to Aptos where a notary public was waiting for them to sign property deeds.

Urrizola claims Hansen signed several property deeds including for the mobile home park and a home in Bass Lake to a trust that Abercrombie had access to. 

Hansen died on March 4, 2020. He was 74 years old. 

Abercrombie’s lawyer, Chuck Smith, said his client tells a different version of her relationship with her stepfather. 

“Randy Hansen loves both his biological daughter and his step-daughter a great deal,” Smith said. “And in a lot of ways his step-daughter Gina was much more a part of his life than Stacy was. So when Stacy’s grandmother Jane Hansen died, Stacy went on a campaign for the next 15 years to make sure all of the estate went to her to the exclusion of all the other beneficiaries.” 

The trial resumes on Tuesday .

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$700k theft was stepdaughter’s scheme with boyfriend, Fresno DA says at trial 

Jury awards $110M in death of 100-year-old at Sacramento assisted living facility

The family said the verdict cannot bring their mother back, but they hope it will lead to stronger protections for seniors living in assisted living facilities.

Author: Staff (ABC10) 

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A jury has awarded the family of Mildred Hernandez $110 million after finding an assisted living facility in Sacramento responsible for her death.

Jurors determined that Greenhaven Estates in Sacramento was responsible for the death of Hernandez, who was 100 years old and living at the facility with Alzheimer’s disease. She was known to be at risk of wandering.

In February 2019, Hernandez left the facility during the early morning hours and was later found unresponsive outside in about 38-degree weather. She died from hypothermia.

Attorneys for the Hernandez family argued the companies responsible for the facility prioritized profits over safety, which they said led to understaffing and inadequate protections for vulnerable residents.

The family said the verdict cannot bring their mother back, but they hope it will lead to stronger protections for seniors living in assisted living facilities.

ABC10 reached out to Greenhaven Estates for comment on the verdict but did not receive a response. 

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Jury awards $110M in death of 100-year-old at Sacramento assisted living facility