Peter Rex Dansie disinherited son Grant and left his estate to 13 people after murdering his wife, SA court told

Greed-driven wife murderer Peter Rex Dansie has taken one final swipe at his victims from beyond the grave via a will that has generated a courtroom nightmare.

Recently deceased wife killer Peter Rex Dansie left his estate to 13 different people, a court has heard – exacerbating, rather than ending, his disinherited orphan son’s legal nightmare.

On Monday, the Supreme Court was told that two years after he drowned his disabled wife Helen, Dansie drafted a will splitting the couple’s fortune into more than a dozen pieces.

That means what had been a three-way war between Dansie – who went to his grave protesting his innocence – his son Grant and state prosecutors is now a 16-way battle.

Peter Rex Dansie left his estate to 13 people, further complicating the lawsuit left behind, in the wake of his death, with his son and prosecutors. Picture: Kelly Barnes

Grant was fighting to keep Dansie from using his mother’s money to fund yet another challenge to his conviction and life sentence for murder.

Prosecutors wanted a half-share of the family’s once-lavish Waterfall Gully home, saying it was “a proceed of crime” because Dansie killed Helen to take possession of it.

Dansie had insisted it all belonged to him – and on Monday, his lawyers said they would get a grant of probate over the will and invite the 13 beneficiaries into the lawsuit.

Judge Graham Dart, who has spent years presiding over the dispute, urged the parties to exercise “pragmatism” and work toward a prompt solution.

“Everyone at the bar table should go out for a coffee at some stage, or at least meet in a conference room, and knock out what the issues are – that might resolve them,” he said.

“Dansie has passed away, this should be able to be resolved.”

Helen Dansie was drowned by her husband at Veale Gardens.

Grant Dansie has been fighting for years to keep family assets out of the hands of his father. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Naomi Jellicoe

Dansie died on May 27, aged 74, while serving his 25-year non-parole period for the April 2017 murder of his wife, Helen, whom he drowned in a Veale Gardens pond.

The crime, dubbed “the ultimate act of domestic violence” by the Supreme Court, was motivated by money – Dansie wanted Helen’s money for himself, deeming her a financial burden.

While challenging his conviction, Dansie filed lawsuits to claim Helen’s estate from the couple’s son, Grant, who sought to keep it from his “petty little fat man” father.

On Monday, Judge Dart said he was surprised prosecutors were proceeding with their claim now that Dansie had died.

“The purpose of proceeds of crime legislation is to punish people who’ve committed serious offences by taking away their property,” he said.

“Now, you’re left with the situation where Mrs Dansie’s son has lost his mother in horrible circumstances and you’re seeking to take his inheritance.

“Legally, you may have the power to proceed but, now he’s passed, there’s no prospect of him benefiting from his offence.”

He ordered the parties to resolve probate issues, investigate appointing both an executor and an administrator to resolve the financial issues, and undertake mediation in September.