Paul Wellman

Edward Blomfield

Sentencing of Edward Blomfield — the man who was indicted after producing a forged will claiming ownership over the estate of his deceased girlfriend Beverly Graham — has been postponed until July 7. Restitution for Graham’s family, as conditioned by the court, was not finalized before sentencing.

After Beverly Graham’s murder in January 2006 at the hands of Jennifer San Marco — the woman who later that same day shot six employees of a Goleta postal distribution center to death — Blomfield began claiming some of her personal property, and was immediately stopped by Graham’s family. In February 2006 Blomfield produced a will he claimed was signed by Graham as well as witnessed by his sister Jeanne Blomfield and family friend Lenae Stahr, both of whom are indicted under the same charges. Graham’s estate was estimated at $750,000, which included possessions, money, and her condo. According to Graham’s family, they immediately felt suspicious of the will and contested it in probate court. Further forensic investigation by the family proved that this will was a forgery. Blomfield was indicted under the criminal court and charged with burglary, forgery, financial elder abuse, perjury, and conspiracy. Blomfield is likely looking at around seven years of prison time, which was drastically reduced from the maximum 20-year sentence prosecutor Mary Barron was hoping for. Blomfield’s defense attorney Steve Balash told that the parties involved knew early on of an eminent guilty ruling and admitted their culpability. Much of the sentencing is based around Blomfield returning the money gained from the forged will.

Blomfield was ordered by the court to pay back the Graham family a total sum of $340,000, with interest. As of the posting of this story, the Grahams have only received $240,000, and are awaiting $100,000 which is tied into other assets of the Blomfield family.

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