Death Records Now

I am not sure if anyone knows the answer to this. My father died in the state of California in 2004, and my sister and live in Pennsylvania. He hadn’t been in contact with us for years, before he got sick very quickly and died. My sister and I had no relationship with the controlling woman he was married to. Any questions asked her were not answered, and we let it go. We have since learned the wife has dementia. Not sure where she is. My sister and I are trying to find out if my father had a will or whats happening to the property out there? We have heard just recently through friends of my fathers out there, that the property is deteriorating and no ones been around the house for awhile. I would like to know what is public record out there and can I find it online? Such as property tax. if the house is paid off. Up for sheriff sale? Or if he had a will. Our father was cremated and my sister I know his ashes are there somewhere in the house. If nothing else we would like to at least get his ashes,and bring them home, but before we would go out there, we want to make sure the house isn’t getting sold for back taxes. We don’t know who his lawyer was and we are basically stuck trying to find out information. Any help someone could give me as to guide me in the right direction would be appreciated. I was able to at least get his death certificate, but that’s about all.

If your father had a will and it was probated then it is public record. Call the probate court in the county in which your dad lives and ask if there was an estate opened under his name. Also, if you have the address of the property you can get a title company to check for a nominal fee to see if the property is in your dad’s name still. If it is, and there has been no estate opened, and you cannot find a will, then his next of kin are entitled to the property.