The day her mother died, she transferred $650K into her own account, police say
An Iowa City woman turned herself in to the Iowa City Police Department on Monday after a complaint alleged she transferred more than $650,000 out of her mother's bank account and into her own account without authority in 2016, on the day her mother died.
Police say Edith Hora, 56, didn't have authority to transfer the money and now faces a first-degree theft charge.
In a last will and testament, Hora's father, Marion Sexton, was owed 70% of the money left by his wife, Josefina Sexton, according to the report. However, when Hora made the transfer, she deprived her father, the primary beneficiary, access to the money.
Hora allegedly mixed the money she took from her mother's account with her other accounts and transferred more than $200,000 to her husband's trucking business, George Hora Trucking LLC.
She didn't return requests for comment from the Iowa City Press-Citizen.
Hora's half-sister, Judy Morrison of Scottsdale, Arizona, said she quickly noticed the money was missing from their mother's bank account after she died and informed her father.
Years after Judy and her husband Tim Morrison tried to get Hora to return the money and execute the original will, they feel relieved to see some justice but remain upset the dispute ended this way.
"It's nice to finally see she's turned herself in after being charged," said Tim Morrison. "Hopefully, also the story gets out there so other families don't have to go through this."
The Morrisons' attorney, Michael Kennedy of Kennedy, Cruise, Frey & Gelner, did not return a request for comment. Tim Morrison said their attorney doesn't want to jeopardize any potential proceedings.
Iowa City Police detective Ronald Gist was not available for comment Monday.
Johnson County Attorney Janet Lyness said the office is looking at the criminal charge and will decide how to move forward. She said she couldn't comment further on the specifics of the case.
First-degree theft is a class C felony and is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
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