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A new will and testament outlining the last wishes of Gary Coleman surfaced Friday, adding a new wrinkle to the saga over what to do with the actor's remains and estate.
A friend of the "Diff'rent Strokes" actor who knew him in the late 1990s was named the executor of the estate in this newly discovered will, said Salt Lake City attorney Kent B. Alderman, who was retained by the friend Thursday.
Alderman would not identify the executor except to say "he's just a very old friend that Gary trusted and asked that he carry out Gary's wishes."
According to an Associated Press story, Frederick Jackman, an attorney for Gary Coleman's parents, said the person named in the will is Dion Mial, a friend and former manager of the former child TV star. There was no answer at a Las Vegas phone listing for Mial when The Tribune called on Friday.
The document was drafted in 1999 in Los Angeles, long before the actor moved to Utah and, in 2007, married Shannon Price, whom he met on a movie set. It will be filed with the 4th District Court in Provo as probate sometime next week, Alderman said.
"We will proffer it to the court as the only known last will and testament of Gary Coleman, and if somebody has a more recent will then certainly they are welcome to come forward with what they have," Alderman said. "To the extent of what I've seen, it looks like a valid will."
As a result of this latest development, Coleman's estranged parents, W.G. "Willie" and Edmonia Sue Coleman, on Friday withdrew their claim to take control of the actor's estate and remains.
"The Colemans will not be filing for Formal Probate," Jackman said in a statement. "From the start, Mr. and Mrs. Coleman's intention has been to see that Gary's wishes be honored and that his affairs be taken care of properly. They wanted to do things the right way, and they urge those still involved to do the same. The Colemans ask that everyone please treat Gary with respect and kindness. They feel it is time for him to find peace and let his spirit go."
The new will does not state Coleman's wishes regarding his burial — including where it should take place — nor do the documents mention his parents, Alderman said. The will also was not amended to include his ex-wife, Price. It does, however, list heirs to his estate, though Alderman did not identify who they are.
In this case, the decision of what to do with Coleman's remains falls on the executor, Alderman said, citing estate law.
Shielia Erickson, who was Coleman's agent in Utah and has acted as a spokeswoman for Shannon Price, stated earlier that a will exists outlining the actor's wishes, which includes being buried in Utah and giving Price control over his estate. But Alderman believes the documents he will file are different from the ones Erickson described.
Alderman also believes his documents are different from those described by "Diff'rent Strokes" co-star, Todd Bridges, who said in an "Entertainment Tonight" interview Thursday that he has seen other paperwork outlining Coleman's wishes.
"We have paperwork, and we will bring it out soon that will show what his wishes were and what he wanted," said Bridges, who played the older brother Willis in the popular 1970s-'80s sitcom with Coleman. "After we bring this paperwork out, everybody's going to shut up."
Meanwhile, Alderman said Price, who divorced Coleman in August 2008, knows of the newly discovered will and has been in contact with the executor.
Coleman died May 28 at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center after suffering a brain injury from a fall in his Santaquin home.
Though she had divorced the actor, Price was given authority over medical decisions for Coleman and elected to take him off of life support.
Coleman's body remains in a Salt Lake County mortuary while it's determined who is in control of his estate. A memorial that originally was planned for this weekend was canceled.