Sahel Kazemi's maternal aunt, the woman who came to raise the woman Metro Police believe killed former Titans quarterback Steve McNair and then herself, has filed paperwork to collect on Sahel’s $10,000 group life insurance policy, probate court documents filed Oct. 15 show.
Soheyla Kazemi, 47, of Orange Park, Fla., made the claim with The Hartford Group on Oct. 2 in the probate division of Davidson County Circuit Court. In essence, the life insurance represents Sahel’s estate. Whether her aunt can collect on it will be determined at a hearing set for Nov. 4.
Potential obstacles for Kazemi’s aunt are any debts Sahel may have — Sohelya Kazemi wrote “none known of” on the probate form — or whether Metro Police’s classification of the case as a murder-suicide would affect terms of the life insurance policy.
Hartford Financial Services, the Connecticut-based provider, declined to comment on the Kazemi claim.
In general, basic group life policies paid for by employers with Hartford do not have an exclusion policy for suicides, according to information from the company, meaning payments can be made on a policy if the death is ruled a suicide. However, specifics about Kazemi’s policy are not available.
Soheyla, 47, who lives in Orange Park, Fla., did not return phone calls for this story.
Sahel “Jenny” Kazemi, came to the United States at age 11 from Iran to live with Soheyla after Sahel’s mother died, according to her family. Kazemi apparently never knew her father.
She and McNair were found dead the morning of July 4 in McNair’s Lea Avenue condominium. Metro Police later concluded that Kazemi shot the former football star as he slept, then turned the gun on herself.
Police speculated in their final report that the murder-suicide was prompted by Kazemi’s suspicions of another McNair mistress and her mounting financial problems. However, other than making payments on a late-model Cadillac Escalade, co-signed by McNair, it is unclear what money troubles the 20-year-old — who held a regular job and paid rent of her Hermitage apartment — actually had.
Earlier this month, Old Hickory Credit Union submitted a claim of $43,000 in Davidson County Probate Court, seeking repayment from the McNair estate of a principal loan balance of nearly $40,000 for the Escalade, as well as interest, towing and storage costs and attorneys' fees. McNair’s widow, Mechelle, has been granted authority to administer the estate.
Although the vehicle was jointly financed, it was McNair who made a down payment and used the address of his Gridiron 9 restaurant, 2719 E. Jefferson St., in taking out the loan, documents show.