Suppose a husband was having trouble divorcing his wife because she succeeded in having the final decree set aside, and suppose his girlfriend kidnapped the wife—in his car—and killed her. Would the husband, who denies any role in the murder, then be able to take over his dead wife's estate and act as her personal representative?

Yes, according to a ruling Thursday by the Georgia Court of Appeals in an unusual probate dispute. Judge Carla McMillian wrote for a unanimous panel that included Presiding Judge Anne Barnes and Judge Clyde Reese. They affirmed the position taken by Clayton County Probate Judge Pam Ferguson.

The opinion tells the tragic story of Sandra Barnett. In 1987, she married Buster Barnett, a former player with the NFL's Buffalo Bills. After 24 years, in 2011, he filed for divorce. When she didn't show for the bench trial in 2012, he was granted the decree he sought. She later argued that she never received the papers because he had them sent to the wrong address. She hired a lawyer to reopen discovery. The divorce was set aside in 2014. He filed for divorce again in June 2015.