Someone committed suicide with a gun under my name - how do I get it back?

[kygen]

Why wouldn't I want it back? Yeah, it's got a creepy story behind it, but they're probably just going to destroy it. If there's a small chance that I could get it back then I'd be willing to try, which is why I'm asking.

So, quit being internet fatties and climb down off that 40 foot high podium.

Are you talking about buying it back? Or working some magic and getting it back for free

[anti]

Are you talking about buying it back? Or working some magic and getting it back for free

It's never free... even the DOJ form you have to submit has fees to go along with it. I'd buy it if I could but chances are no one is going to want it and I doubt the state would just sell it outright...

JDay, there's nobody doing anything fraudulent, quit being a little *****. Even if I were trying to do something illegal why would I post it here for the public to see? If I'm not allowed to get it back then they'll inform me of it before or during the background check after submitting the DOJ paperwork. Plus, I need to call the detectives for their agency info for the form, they'll tell me whether or not I could even proceed with anything at all, but there's a slight chance there's something they don't know. Not all cops know everything pertaining to the law. Some folks here seem to know their stuff which is why I ask here when I have a question regarding specific subjects. If you have nothing helpful or positive to submit, then please see your way out. There are plenty of other threads to crap on.

[uhlan1]

I fail to see how you have any legal claim to the item. Certainly no moral claim.

[anti]

I fail to see how you have any legal claim to the item. Certainly no moral claim.

I hear you, but if no one wants it I'm going to at least try ask the agency if there's anything at all I could do to buy it from whoever legally owns it. Maybe the guy had a family, maybe not, I don't know... but if it's just going to be destroyed, then **** that, I'd rather buy it back. It's sort of creepy, but not much creepier than the fact that a lot of us sleep every night in a room where someone has died.

[71MUSTY]

it isn't "in your name", they just did a forward search on the serial number from the manufacturer to whoever they sold it to (distributor/dealer) and so on to each dealer until it got to the dealer you bought it from. that is where the "easy" trail ends. now that you told them you sold it to XYZ FFL, they will go to XYZ and ask what the disposition of the firearm was. XYZ will say that they sold it to Joe Blow and they will then contact Joe Blow (if it isn't Joe Blow that committed suicide with it). Joe Blow will then tell them what he did with it until they finally reach a point where they can't continue tracing it forward.

But, It isn't "in your name" . you sold it and have no financial interest in it anymore.

THIS

[joemama]

I hear you, but if no one wants it I'm going to at least try ask the agency if there's anything at all I could do to buy it from whoever legally owns it. Maybe the guy had a family, maybe not, I don't know... but if it's just going to be destroyed, then **** that, I'd rather buy it back. It's sort of creepy, but not much creepier than the fact that a lot of us sleep every night in a room where someone has died.

I doubt you'll be able to get it back but good luck approaching the family of the guy that just shot himself with your old gun and asking to buy it back so it doesn't get destroyed. Maybe pitch it to them with that Hannibal Lecture tongue slither.

[uhlan1]

Plus you couldn't pay me enough to clean all the gunked up and hardened brain matter off the thing from the poor guy.
I'd just let the whole thing drop.

[anti]

I doubt you'll be able to get it back but good luck approaching the family of the guy that just shot himself with your old gun and asking to buy it back so it doesn't get destroyed. Maybe pitch it to them with that Hannibal Lecture tongue slither.

Probably won't, but I'd be willing to ask. If they say no, then it's a no, I can understand that they'd be emotional over it... especially immediate family if he has any. There are some people who may not look at the gun that way, though, since he chose to take his own life.. not the gun. I'd be willing to bet there are plenty of guns floating around that have been used to commit suicide/crimes.

[anti]

Plus you couldn't pay me enough to clean all the gunked up and hardened brain matter off the thing from the poor guy.
I'd just let the whole thing drop.

It was a combo 500 so I'd just throw the long barrel on it if it's still with it, or buy another one somewhere. The rest probably isn't as bad. It looked clean in the picture the detective showed me.

And yes, it's just a Mossberg, but it was my grandfather's. I regret selling it to begin with and now even more so because of what happened with it... if I could buy it back somehow then I certainly would.

[SMarquez]

First off, you have no claim on the weapon nor standing to file a LEGR to get it back.

The questions weren't to establish ownership per-se but were aimed at rattling you in the hopes that you had done something wrong or were possibly connected to the suicide. You are lucky you did the sale legally as absent that bill of sale you would have been subject to some much more pointed questioning.

As to tracing it to you, do you perhaps have the same name as your grandfather? Live at the same address? How did you acquire the weapon after grandfather's death (don't answer that in here)? Most likely the executor of the will put in an inter-familial transfer.

On edit: Someone can correct me if I am wrong but with a death involved I don't think the weapon will be released to anyone anyways.

Sure it will. My wife's nephew shot himself and at the end of the investigation that night the deputy asked if he wanted the gun back. It may vary by county but this was in Riverside Co.

[SMarquez]

Plus you couldn't pay me enough to clean all the gunked up and hardened brain matter off the thing from the poor guy.
I'd just let the whole thing drop.

I haven't seen a lot of gack on guns when people shot themselves. All the mess goes away from the gun.

[anti]

Sure it will. My wife's nephew shot himself and at the end of the investigation that night the deputy asked if he wanted the gun back. It may vary by county but this was in Riverside Co.

And I know I've read threads here (could be BS, of course, like anything) where people were able to get their guns back from LE agencies after it was used in a serious crime. It IS possible and I'm not one to just give up and just say F it. I know it's a long shot but you'll never know unless you try.

And yes, the gun still looked clean in the pic the cop showed me. Obviously it's hard to see blood on a blued gun from a cell phone picture but it looked alright AFAIK...

[Virus55]

Yeah I think id let it go. It could be a very nice gun and id still probably let it go. There was a episode of wild justice that tv show on netgo and this dude was being arrested on fish and game charges and his 30-30 was being confiscated because it was reated to his fish and game violation and he commented to the warden that his grandfather took his life with that gun and he didnt wanna see it get taken, first thing I thought of when I read this thread. Sorry off topic kinda. Let it go dude its not yours anyway. Its just a mossberg 500 its not like its a high point or anything......lol I crack myself up

[11bravo1p]

Just let it go to the grinder man, I doubt you want to be the owner of an actual ghost gun. Bad mojo.

[anti]

Just let it go to the grinder man, I doubt you want to be the owner of an actual ghost gun. Bad mojo.

I hear you, but a lot of us collect milsurp rifles and I know for a fact at least some of them have been used to take a life... but I suppose what we don't know doesn't hurt us, right? :P

I don't know... maybe I'll think differently after I sleep on it. I just hate seeing guns be destroyed...