This is from TPWD's Game Warden field notes. We see lots of questions on here about buying boats w/o clear titles or titling boats from friends or family who have passed.

"Taking a dead buddy’s boat: In a felony tampering case filed late last year by TPWD Special Operations Sgt. Ned Nichols, the defendant was charged with forging documents to gain illegal ownership of a deceased friend’s boat. The defendant was found guilty and sentenced to 27 months in prison. The boat was seized at the offender’s home, its titling corrected to show true ownership, and returned to the family of the deceased."

Do EVERYTHING by the book and this will never happen to you!

Upon death property reverts to next of kin unless willed otherwise this is just outright theft. Wonder why he wasn't charged with felony theft along with the tampering. Don't steal something from someone else and it won't happen either.

+2

Like I have said several times, my integrity is not for sale. Don't misrepresent information - sales prices on title transfer forms, forging signatures, etc. It may be easy at the time, but it is wrong and might cost you dearly.

Ron

a lot of the boats people try to sell when they say title in hand the next thing to ask is the title in the persons name you are paying if it is not run from it because to get it into your name you will have to sign a false tpwd form which is a felony.