color:#000000; .infusion-form .image-snippet[contentid="spotlight"] { } FORT LAUDERDALE | The mysterious death of a Fontainebleau Hotel heir has triggered a family feud over his multimillion-dollar estate, with relatives accusing his wife of murder even though no one has been charged.Ben Novack Jr., whose father founded the lavish Miami Beach landmark frequented by President John F. Kennedy and Frank Sinatra, was found beaten to death in a suburban New York hotel in July.His wife, Narcy Novack, is a person of interest in the killing and relatives claim she deserves nothing from the estate, which includes a vast collection of Batman memorabilia.Novack, 53, was found in a Rye Brook, N.Y., hotel room covered in blood. width: 100%; } background-color:#; We stumbled over here from a different web address and Novack Jr.'s widow, Narcy — a suspect in his killing — is fighting off attempts by her daughter and her husband's aunt to block her from being named personal representative of … .beta-font-b .subtitle, .beta-font-b .subtitle p { But we all know, where there is considerable money involved, the saga will continue! }. Novack's daughter, 33-year-old May Abad, claims in court documents in the estate case that Narcy Novack "unlawfully and intentionally killed or participated in … Ben Novack Jr.'s estate, valued at $4.2 million, is expected to go to Novack's daughter, May Abad, and Abad's two sons. padding: 0; } The entire Novack clan — Ben Jr., his wife, Narcy, Bernice and Narcy Novack's adult daughter, May Abad — worked at Convention Concepts, which grossed more than $50 million annually. height: 40px; } margin-bottom: 10px; text-align:Left; ; ; margin: 0; color:#FFFFFF; .custom-79 .main .a{ ; .infusion-form .infusion-field-container tbody { so i am just following you. } color:#FFFFFF; } ; .custom-79 .infusion-option label{ Around 7:15 a.m., Narcy Novack … .infusion-form table.bodyContainer { padding-right: 5px; table.infusion-field-container td.infusion-field-input-container input[type='text'], ; .custom-79 .background .preheader a{ padding: 0; } } That figure was expected to increase after all assets are inventoried.But if she were to lose the estate, most of it would go instead to Abad and trusts for her two teenage sons.Abad and Maxine Fiel - sister of Ben Novack's Jr.'s mother - claim in court challenges Narcy Novack deserves nothing, even if she is not charged or convicted in her husband's death. .beta-font-b h6 {font-size: 8px;} .beta-base .bodyContainer td.header div.text, .beta-base .bodyContainer td.preheader div.text, .beta-base .bodyContainer td.body div.text, .beta-base .bodyContainer td.body div.text div, width: 64px; .beta-font-b address {font-style: italic;} } } background-color:#; .infusion-form .infusion-field-container .pika-table td { background-color:#FFFFFF; Within hours of ex-stripper Narcy Novack’s conviction for setting up the murders of her husband, Ben Novack Jr., and mother-in-law, Bernice Novack, a raft of relatives are reportedly coming out of the woodwork hoping for a piece of the family fortune. .beta-base .optout { Based on the potential indirect benefit to Narcy, the Fiels sought to convince the Florida trial court that the Slayer Statute also barred Narcy’s daughter and grandkids from inheriting under Ben’s will. } vertical-align: bottom; color:#000000; .custom-79 .quote .subtitle{ This appeal is the latest chapter in the battle over the fortune of Fontainebleau heir Ben Novack Jr. Novack was murdered in 2009. ; .custom-79 .main .text{ font-size: 15px; .custom-79 a{ -webkit-transition: border .3s ease; } width: 100%; table.infusion-field-container td.infusion-field-input-container input[type='text'], "Police said expensive jewelry, like a Rolex watch, was left undisturbed in the room. Your email address will not be published. } color:#FFFFFF; display: inline-block; She and her brother, Cristobal Veliz, allegedly orchestrated the killings to gain Ben Novack’s reported $10 million fortune. table.infusion-field-container td.infusion-field-input-container select { padding: 8px 16px; border-color: #bbb; ; ; .beta-font-b .text, .beta-font-b p { .custom-79 .footer{ font-family: verdana,sans-serif; .beta-font-b .sidebar .text, .beta-font-b .sidebar .text p, .beta-font-b .leftSidebar .text, .beta-font-b .rightSidebar .text { ; The 4th DCA ruled Narcy’s daughter and her grandsons were not disinherited by Florida’s Slayer Statute. Ben’s wife, Narcy was convicted of both of these murders in a federal district court in New York and was sentenced to life in prison. ; .beta-base .bodyContainer td.leftSidebar p, .beta-base .bodyContainer td.rightSidebar p { All rights reserved. .custom-79 .main .title{ .infusion-form .infusion-field-container, ; } background-repeat: no-repeat; .custom-79 .hero .text{ .custom-79 .hero{ ; .infusion-form .infusion-field-container td, } Directed by Christopher Zalla. color:#000000; } ; } color:#000000; background-color:#6A5F59; More than five years after Ben’s death, the fight for his fortune still continues. width: 100% !important; .beta-font-b pre {font-family: Courier New, monospace;} Abad would get her $150,000 in a lump sum, and two trust funds would be set up for her sons. .beta-base .bodyContainer td.leftSidebar div.title, .beta-base .bodyContainer td.rightSidebar div.title, .custom-79 .footer a{ Narcy Novack, the South Florida woman who was convicted of hiring hit men to beat her husband and mother-in-law to death has been sentenced to life in prison. height: auto; background-color: #; display: table-row !important; It appears that with this ruling, as one chapter of the estate of Ben Novack closes, the next chapter begins and the fight is far from over. display: table-cell !important; } background-size: 20px; } She had a younger sister, Maxine. background-color:#ffffff; The mysterious death of a Fontainebleau Hotel heir has triggered a family feud over his multimillion-dollar estate, with relatives accusing his wife of murder even though no one has been charged. } } She and her brother, Cristobal Veliz, were each sentenced to life in prison in 2012 for the murders-for-hire of Bernice Novack, and Ben Novack Jr.. .infusion-field-input-container { font-size:14px; ; background-color:#FFFFFF; font-size:14px; Given Novack's financial status, his wife — 53-year-old former stripper Narcy Novack — told detectives the slaying might have been the result of a robbery gone wrong. color:#0645ad; In July 2009, Ben Novack Jr. was found murdered in a hotel room in Rye Brook, N.Y. A few weeks earlier, Ben’s mother, Bernice had also been found dead in her home in Fort Lauderdale. .custom-79 .header{ ; As Narcy Novack peels potatoes in a federal prison, she could be cooking up another plan to get her hands on her slain husband’s millions. Her brother, Cristóbal Véliz, was also accused of enlisting Alejandro Gutiérrez-García, Joel González, and Denis Ramírez to participate in both murders. table.infusion-field-container td.infusion-field-input-container select.infusion-multiselect { border-width:0px; .custom-79 .leftSidebar{ } } table.infusion-field-container td.infusion-field-input-container input[type='text']:focus, } ; background-color:#; } height: auto; More than five years after Ben’s death, the fight for his fortune still continues. } } } Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. table.infusion-field-container td.infusion-field-input-container select { ; font-size: 11px; ; ; margin: 0; } } .infusion-field-label-container { But her daughter, May Abad, who was Ben Novack's stepdaughter, filed a Florida lawsuit that blocked Novack's access to the estate. } .beta-base .bodyContainer td.leftSidebar div.text, .beta-base .bodyContainer td.rightSidebar div.text { } Oscars Best Picture Winners Best Picture Winners Golden Globes Emmys STARmeter Awards San Diego Comic-Con New York Comic-Con Sundance Film Festival Toronto Int'l Film Festival Awards Central Festival Central All Events DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA FOURTH DISTRICT MEREDITH FIEL and LISA FIEL, Appellants, v. DOUGLAS F. HOFFMAN, as Personal Representative of the Estate of Ben H. Novack, Jr., NARCY NOVACK, MARCHELO GAFFNEY, PATRICK GAFFNEY, MAY AZALEH ABAD, and HARVEY E. MORSE, P.A., Appellees. Probate Administration, Litigation & Guardianships. .infusion-form .video-container iframe { } ; background-position: calc(100% - 6px) center; table.infusion-field-container td.infusion-field-input-container select { } } font-weight: bold; font-size: 11px; font-size: 11px; .beta-font-b .sidebar .title, .beta-font-b .leftSidebar .title, .beta-font-b .rightSidebar .title { According to the criminal case against her, Narcy hired hitmen to kill both her husband and mother in law and watched as the hit men she had hired bashed him in the head and chest with dumbbells, bound him with duct tape, and slashed out his eyes… pretty cold! } Look forward to looking into your web page yet again. color:#1B3BDE; border-style:Hidden; ; } } "It was like someone was trying to … box-sizing: border-box; Abad's two sons stand to … width: 100%; } td.header .image-snippet img { .beta-base .bodyContainer td.header { } } border: 1px solid #ddd; vertical-align:Middle; } overflow: auto; ; margin: 0; .beta-base .bodyContainer td.footer p, .beta-base .bodyContainer td.sidebar p, The Ledger ~ 300 W. Lime St., Lakeland, FL 33815 ~ Do Not Sell My Personal Information ~ Cookie Policy ~ Do Not Sell My Personal Information ~ Privacy Policy ~ Terms Of Service ~ Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. .beta-base .bodyContainer td.footer div.title, .beta-base .bodyContainer td.sidebar div.title, Bernice is survived by the couple's only son, Ben Novack, Jr., and his wife Narcy and stepdaughter May Azalea. Narcy Novack, from Fort Lauderdale, was arrested for the murders of her husband and mother-in-law in July 2010, three days shy of a year after her husband's death. .custom-79 .main .subtitle{ } I am very happy you found my site to your liking! color:#000000; color: #000000; padding: 20px; max-width: 100%; } } color:#0645ad; .custom-79 .quote:after{ Narcy Novack, brother, sentenced to life in prison in Fontainebleau hotel heir's killing. ; This didn’t sit well with Ben’s cousins, Meredith and Lisa Fiel. } .custom-79 .header .subtitle{ } But nowhere has the family drama been greater than in the dynamic between Narcy and her daughter, May Abad. .beta-font-b h3 {font-size: 14px;} Following the murder of hotel heir Ben Novack Jr., police focus their investigation on his wife, Narcy. .custom-79 .header .text{ She's joined in a similar motion by Novack's elderly aunt.Police documents said Narcy Novack was "deceptive" regarding her knowledge of the killing during a polygraph test, an investigative tool not usually admissible in court.Other court documents showed a tempestuous relationship between the couple that included bondage sex games and bouts of violence.Then there's Novack's Batman collection, which lawyers in the case said was among the world's largest and includes a replica of the Batmobile featured in the 1960s TV show.Some of the items - figurines, comic books, costumes and the like - may have been removed from the four warehouses where the collection is housed. .beta-font-b h4 {font-size: 12px;} } ; .beta-font-b h5 {font-size: 10px;} } From the outset, Abad publicly stated she believed her mother was responsible for Ben Novack’s murder. .custom-79 .quote{ } color:#f15c25; .beta-font-b h1, .beta-font-b h2, .beta-font-b h3, .beta-font-b h4, .beta-font-b h5, .beta-font-b h6 { ; .beta-base .bodyContainer td.body, .beta-base .bodyContainer td.footer, height: 100%; Choose the plan that’s right for you. No. .infusion-form .infusion-field-container .pika-table tr { No electronic card keys were used during the 70 minutes his wife was gone.Under her husband's will, Narcy Novack stands to inherit his entire fortune, which is at least $6 million. A year later, the alleged murder of Novack Jr.’s mother was thrown into the mix. ; } display: block; .custom-79 .leftSidebar .title{ The story of Ben Novack, the heir to Fontainebleau hotel who was murdered by his wife, Narcy Novack, has received widespread media coverage and resulted in multiple litigations. } } ; .custom-79 .sidebar .subtitle{ font-size: 12px; Narcy Novack. Rye Brook is a village in Westchester County that boarders Connecticut (about a 40 minute drive to Grand Central Station); second, the Fontainebleau on Miami Beach was one of the last development projects my engineering firm ever worked on before I became an attorney; and third, this case made new estate planning case law! Narcy Novack, his wife, was convicted of orchestrating the slaying in addition to killing his mother. font-family:Open Sans,Arial,sans-serif; font-family: arial,sans-serif; display: table-row-group !important; } } ; } He brought his wife, Narcy Novack, and her daughter, May Abad, to the 455-room Hilton for yet another Amway conference. ; .beta-font-b h2 {font-size: 20px;} padding: 0; But due to the violent nature of the murder — and the fact that nothing had been stolen from Novack's hotel room — investigators believed the attack had been personal. font-size: 14px; div.infusion-captcha { Miami — Initially, the brutal killing of Ben Novack Jr., heir to the founder of Miami Beach’s famed Fontainebleau Hotel, looked like the sordid story of a wealthy couple’s sexually charged marriage gone very wrong. First, very few people know this but I am from Rye, New York, where Ben Novack was found murdered (I was born in Port Chester but we lived next door in Rye). ; table.infusion-field-container td.infusion-field-input-container { .custom-79 .webFormBodyContainer{ border: none; color:#000000; In addressing the Fiels’ argument, the Court of Appeal looked to the plain language of Florida’s Slayer Statute and concluded that Narcy’s daughter and her kids could inherit the family fortune! font-family: arial,sans-serif; .infusion-option label { margin: 0; } margin-top: 10px; .custom-79 .sidebar .title{ Narcy Novack's daughter, 33-year-old May Abad, claims in court documents in the estate case that Narcy Novack "unlawfully and intentionally killed … More Recently, a Florida Court of Appeal concluded that Narcy’s heirs COULD inherit the family fortune and this has made … } .custom-79 .title{ font-family: Open Sans,Arial,sans-serif; } ; .beta-base .bodyContainer td.footer div.subtitle, .beta-base .bodyContainer td.sidebar div.subtitle, padding: 0; Your email address will not be published. border: 1px solid transparent; ; .custom-79 .background .preheader .text{ .beta-base .bodyContainer td.sidebar, .beta-base .bodyContainer td.leftSidebar, .beta-base .bodyContainer td.rightSidebar { } white-space: normal; background-image: none; } .custom-79 .quote .text{ thought I might check things out. } #webformErrors { table.infusion-field-container td + .infusion-field-label-container { font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-family: arial,sans-serif; The conference was a big one — over 1,000 guests had converged. font-size: 12px; font-size: 14px; outline: none; padding: 10px 0; .custom-79 .infusion-field-label-container{ .custom-79 .footer .subtitle{ ; table.infusion-field-container td.infusion-field-input-container input[type='password'], "Abad wants a judge to invoke Florida's "killer" statute, which can bar someone responsible for a person's death from collecting an inheritance. } .custom-79 .rightSidebar{ In accordance with the slayer rule, Narcy Novack is ineligible to inherit her husband's estate. vertical-align: middle; .beta-base .bodyContainer td.header div.title, .beta-base .bodyContainer td.preheader div.title, .beta-base .bodyContainer td.body div.title, ; .custom-79 .footer .title{ .infusion-option { } Family Affair, Part 5 Out of the blue, an anonymous letter to police points them in a new direction. .beta-font-b .footer a { On July 12, according to Narcy Novack's statements to the police, Ben worked throughout the night, staying up till dawn at 6:30 a.m., before finally going to bed.