EXCLUSIVE: Battle Rages Over Gary Coleman's Body; Funeral Home Waits For Court Order
June 10 2010, Published 1:30 p.m. ET
The mortuary holding Gary Coleman's body is going to court to have a judge decide what to do with the late actor’s remains, RadarOnline.com has learned exclusively.
RadarOnline.com has learned the two feuding camps- ex-wife Shannon Price and Dion Mial, Coleman's former manager and court-appointed administrator of his estate -- are now at a standstill over what to do with his ashes.
In the meantime, almost two weeks after his death, the body of the Diff’rent Strokes star remains at Lake Hill Mortuary in Sandy, Utah.
No funeral or memorial has taken place.
Even though Price, 24, denies the validity of Coleman's 1999 will, she agrees with at least one of its tenets -- for him to be cremated.
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Complicating matters, the will is silent on Coleman's desire for a final resting place.
“Dion, as the executor and Gary’s ex-wife, Shannon, are in a disagreement about what to do with his remains,” Matt Bagley, a legal spokesman for Memorial Mortuaries, told RadarOnline.com.
“Our position is that where this is a dispute, we will wait until there is a court order to decide the right of disposition for the individual.”
The warring factions are due in court July 2 for a hearing to appoint the personal representative.
The court will now post a "notice to interested parties" alerting those connected with the estate that the will has been entered as probate. Traditionally, anyone who wishes to contest the will has 10 days to respond.
Price has said she plans to fight the will, citing an amendment to the document, known as a codicil.
Coleman was hospitalized on May 26 after suffering a brain hemorrhage caused by an accident at his Utah home. He died two days later at the age of 42.
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In court on Tuesday, Alderman said Mial was appointed special administrator of Coleman’s estate, a role that allows him to “exercise power immediately to deal with matters, while the appointment of executor” is made in due course.
