Life Insurance & Murder

Todd Chance was found dead in an almond orchard near Shafter in August 2013. The 45-year-old trucker was shot to death. His car was found several miles away. His wife was arrested four days later, but released with no charges filed and no comment from authorities.

 

It has been three years since his death and court documents show Chance had four life insurance policies worth a total of $500,000 with his wife, Leslie Jenae Chance, as the beneficiary. 

Leslie's Chance's attorney, Craig Edmonston explains the insurance policies. The life insurance policies were taken out by Jenae and Todd," said Edmonston. That was their goal, was to, in the event of Todd's passing to have all of the policy proceeds go to the children.

 

Court documents show Leslie tried multiple times since his death to get the money, but the insurance companies refused to pay up. If there is any uncertainty in the mind of the insurance company on who to pay on if there is anyone making a claim however remote other than the beneficiary, they won't pay the claim," said Edmonston.

 

Documents show Leslie filed separate claims against the four life insurance companies. The first dated exactly two years after Todd Chance's death. Although Leslie has never been charged in this case, there are rules in regards to who gets the money. Larry Cox, partner at Young and Wooldridge explains. 

 

"California has laws in effect that you can't profit off of wrong doing," Cox said. According to Probate Code 252, if a killer is the beneficiary, they are not entitled to benefits.

 

One of the insurance companies, Triple A, turned the policy worth $100,000 over to the court to decide who gets the money. According to Leslie's attorney, she never intended to get the money herself.

 

"It was always her intent for the money to go to the daughters," said Edmonston. Todd's parents say they don't buy that.