‘Missing’ man stands to inherit €200,000

NEPHEW NAMED IN FARMER’S WILL HAS NOT BEEN SEEN SINCE 1974

A MAN who has not been heard from for more than 40 years stands to benefit to the tune of €200,000 from the will of an Enniscorthy farmer if he is still alive.

The missing man, Herbert Latta, was named among six nephews or nieces to inherit the estate of the late Francis Latta. Francis died back in 1980 but his will was not activated until the death of his wife Connie, who passed away early in 2018.

The couple were childless and the value of the estate was now put at €1.2 million.

The six named in the will to share the proceeds were Susan, Margaret and Charles – all three resident in Ireland – and their English cousins, Deirdre, Lorna and Herbert.

Charles Latta was present in court as executor of the will, along with solicitor and barrister, seeking the judge’s guidance in the matter.

The problem was that, while all the other beneficiaries had been found, there was no sign of Herbert Latta.

Counsel suggested that he should be considered deceased as his whereabouts since 1974 were unknown.

He was aged 26 at that time and he had a London address in Middlesex, the court was told.

Investigations undertaken on behalf of the Francis Latta estate revealed that the missing cousin had been suspected of involvement in a crime. The car of a friend was found at the scene of a burglary at a petrol station.

Judge Eugene O’Kelly observed that this would not have been sufficient evidence to sustain a criminal conviction.

It appeared to counsel that Herbert Latta was in good health up to the time that he lost contact with his family.

The barrister observed that it was highly probable that he was dead but conceded that he could not be certain of this: ‘Nothing has been heard from him since September 1974. He disappeared without trace’.

The court was shown adverts placed during 2019 in the ‘Herald’ in Ireland and in the ‘Daily Mail’ in England seeking information on the missing individual.

Judge O’Kelly pointed out that if he was in trouble with the law, he may have had a motive to disappear or lie low, so he might have emigrated to Australia or some other country.

The judge also wondered aloud whether Herbert, single and childless at the time he slipped off the radar, might later have fathered a flock of offspring who could stand to benefit from the will.

The judge was critical of the framing of the adverts which elicited no response, pointing out that the ads made no mention any money to be claimed. He suggested that advertisements should be drafted featuring the names of Herbert’s parents and his date of birth.

It should also be mentioned that he was resident at Islington in London during 1974.

If he really was a suspect in a robbery, the court pointed out, he may have had a motive for taking off to Australia, or Canada, or Scotland.

The plaintiffs were directed to place the revised press adverts, not only in the ‘Herald’ and ‘Mail’, but also in papers published in Northern Ireland and Scotland as well as in the ‘Irish Post’.

The judge observed that there appeared to be funds in the estate to pursue the necessary enquiries.

The case stands adjourned.