Final $80 Million of Hughes’ $128-Million Nevada Estate Distributed

LAS VEGAS — Distribution of the $750-million estate of celebrated recluse, aviation pioneer and industrialist Howard Hughes neared a close last week with the final disbursement of his $128-million Nevada estate.

A final distribution of the Nevada estate was approved by District Judge John Mendoza, attorneys said Friday. Estates administered in Texas, Delaware and California were expected to close shortly.

The entire Hughes estate--probated in each of the four states--has increased from $361 million to $750 million since Hughes died of kidney failure April 5, 1976. The 70-year-old recluse died aboard an aircraft that was rushing him from his last hide-out in Mexico to a hospital in Houston.

Annual Payment to Ex-Wife

Court documents showed Friday that Hughes’ former wife, movie star Jean Peters, continues to receive $140,000 a year until 1991 under terms of a divorce agreement executed in 1971. The University of Nevada Medical School, which Hughes originally endowed, also continues to receive $200,000 a year until 1991.

If the aviator, movie maker and inventor left a will, it was never located. More than 30 phony wills surfaced during the legal turmoil that followed Hughes’ death, including one will mysteriously delivered to Mormon Church headquarters in Salt Lake City and entered into probate in Clark County by church officials.

After a lengthy and expensive Nevada District Court trial in the late 1970s, a Las Vegas jury decided the so-called “Mormon Will”--which named truck driver Melvin Dummar as one of the beneficiaries--was a forgery.

Las Vegas attorney Steven Scow said Friday that all claims filed against the Nevada estate have been resolved with the 11th and final distribution approved Thursday by Mendoza. The final Nevada distribution of $80 million was what remained of the $128-million Nevada portion of the estate after 10 previous distributions by the court.

$70 Million to Relatives

About $70 million of the final Nevada distribution goes to 22 Hughes relatives or their survivors to be processed through the Delaware courts. The remaining $10 million is divided among legal and professional firms and individuals associated with the probate.

William Lummis, Hughes’ first cousin and closest surviving relative, acted as administrator or co-administrator of the Hughes estate in all four states. He received a total of $2 million from the Nevada estate over a period of years.

The lead Nevada law firm of Morse & Mowbray received more than $5.2 million in legal fees, including $3.5 million paid out of the final distribution.