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Illinois Compiled Statutes

755 ILCS 5/2-6 (2026)

Person causing death

✓ current as of May 2026
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(755 ILCS 5/2-6) (from Ch. 110 1/2, par. 2-6)
    Sec. 2-6. Person causing death. A person who intentionally and unjustifiably causes the death of another shall not receive any property, benefit, or other interest by reason of the death, whether as heir, legatee, beneficiary, joint tenant, survivor, appointee or in any other capacity and whether the property, benefit, or other interest passes pursuant to any form of title registration, testamentary or nontestamentary instrument, intestacy, renunciation, or any other circumstance. The property, benefit, or other interest shall pass as if the person causing the death died before the decedent, provided that with respect to joint tenancy property the interest possessed prior to the death by the person causing the death shall not be diminished by the application of this Section. A determination under this Section may be made by any court of competent jurisdiction separate and apart from any criminal proceeding arising from the death, provided that no such civil proceeding shall proceed to trial nor shall the person be required to submit to discovery in such civil proceeding until such time as any criminal proceeding has been finally determined by the trial court or, in the event no criminal charge has been brought, prior to one year after the date of death. A person convicted of first degree murder or second degree murder of the decedent is conclusively presumed to have caused the death intentionally and unjustifiably for purposes of this Section.
    The holder of any property subject to the provisions of this Section shall not be liable for distributing or releasing said property to the person causing the death if such distribution or release occurs prior to a determination made under this Section.
    If the holder of any property subject to the provisions of this Section knows or has reason to know that a potential beneficiary caused the death of a person within the scope of this Section, the holder shall fully cooperate with law enforcement authorities and judicial officers in connection with any investigation of such death.
(Source: P.A. 86-749.)

    
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 10 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1994–2026 · leading case: In Re Est. of Mueller, 655 N.E.2d 1040 (Ill. App. Ct. 1995).
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In Re Est. of Mueller, 655 N.E.2d 1040 (Ill. App. Ct. 1995). · cites it 5× “308): "Whether individuals who are named as contingent beneficiaries in a will may take property under that will when the original taker is precluded under Section 2-6 of the Probate Act of 1975 (Probate Act), (755 ILCS 5/2-6 (West 1992)), and the contingent takers are heirs of…”
In re Est. of Opalinska, 2015 IL App (1st) 143407 (Ill. App. Ct. 2016). · cites it 3× “755 ILCS 5/2-6 (West 2012). Moreover, the Administrator argued that Darota should not inherit her mother’s estate due to her “unclean hands” in the investigation of the murder.”
In Re Est. of Vallerius, 629 N.E.2d 1185 (Ill. App. Ct. 1994). · cites it 3× “755 ILCS 5/2-6 (West 1992). The facts of this case, as they are relevant to the issue herein, are as follows: On December 22, 1987, Douglas White murdered his grandmother, Adella G.”
In re Est. of Ivy, 2019 IL App (1st) 181691 (Ill. App. Ct. 2019). · cites it 3× “OPINION ¶1 The issue presented in this case is whether a person charged with first degree murder of a decedent and found not guilty by reason of insanity (NGRI) is barred by collateral estoppel from contesting that he “intentionally and unjustifiably” caused decedent’s death…”
Trent v. Off. of Coroner of Peoria Cnty., 812 N.E.2d 21 (Ill. App. Ct. 2004). · cites it 3× “We also find relevance in section 2-6 of the Probate Act of 1975 (755 ILCS 5/2-6 (West 2002)) commonly known as the slayer statute.”
In re Est. of Ivy, 2019 IL App (1st) 181691 (Ill. App. Ct. 2019). · cites it 3× “OPINION ¶1 The issue presented in this case is whether a person charged with first degree murder of a decedent and found not guilty by reason of insanity (NGRI) is barred by collateral estoppel from contesting that he “intentionally and unjustifiably” caused decedent’s death…”
Coley v. Bradshaw & Range Funeral Home, P.C., 2020 IL App (2d) 190627 (Ill. App. Ct. 2020). “The Slayer Statute Does Not Support Reasonable Reliance ¶ 33 Coley argues that section 2-6 of the Probate Act of 1975 (755 ILCS 5/2-6 (West 2014)) (commonly known as the Slayer Statute), which bars a person who intentionally and justifiably kills a decedent from receiving…”
Coley v. Bradshaw & Range Funeral Home, P.C., 2020 IL App (2d) 190627 (Ill. App. Ct. 2020). “The Slayer Statute Does Not Support Reasonable Reliance ¶ 33 Coley argues that section 2-6 of the Probate Act of 1975 (755 ILCS 5/2-6 (West 2014)) (commonly known as the Slayer Statute), which bars a person who intentionally and justifiably kills a decedent from receiving…”
In re Est. of Malbrough (Ill. App. Ct. 2002). · cites it 4× “JUSTICE CAHILL delivered the opinion of the court: Petitioner filed a complaint under section 2-6 of the Illinois Probate Act of 1975 (Probate Act) (755 ILCS 5/2-6 (West 1998)), to disqualify respondent from inheriting under decedent's will.”
In re Est. of Edward (Ill. App. Ct. 2026). “755 ILCS 5/2-6 (West 2024); see In re Estate of Ivy, 2019 IL App (1st) 181691 , ¶ 34.”
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