The multitalented artist James Brown‘s career and life have been the talk of the town for several years. He was a well-known singer, songwriter, dancer, and record producer, and his music has inspired artists of many generations. As for his personal life, it won’t be wrong if we say that Brown’s story resembles a television series plot.
After living his life to the fullest, James left the world on December 25, 2006, at the age of 73. Since then, there have been several stories about his family members fighting for their share in the estate, as well as numerous people claiming to be his children. However, the most bizarre turn of events came in 2010 when James Brown’s daughter, LaRhonda Pettit, alleged that he was murdered and said that his body was missing.
Stay with us till the end to find out if LaRhonda Pettit was right and more about the legal battle for James Brown’s estate.
James Brown’s Relationships And Children
During his seventy-three years on the Earth, James Brown was married to four different women and fathered several children. He was first married to Velma Warren and had three children with her. Brown went on to marry Deidre Jenkins and shared two daughters with her. His third marriage was to Adrienne Lois Rodriguez, and after separating with her, he went on to tie the knot with Tomi Rae Hynie. However, according to New York Times, Hynie and Brown’s marriage was not legalized since she had not annulled a previous marriage.
According to Cheat Sheet, Brown had several children from his relationships and reportedly acknowledged nine of them. However, there are several individuals who have come forward claiming that they were the illegitimate children of the artist. One of them is LaRhonda Pettit, whose DNA test stated that James Brown was 99.9% likely to be her father.
James Brown’s Daughter, LaRhonda Pettit
After James Brown’s death, LaRhonda Pettit claimed that she was the eldest daughter of the “Godfather of Soul.” She then underwent DNA analysis and Pettit went public with the result that she had a 99.9% probability of being Brown’s daughter. Brown’s attorney Buddy Dallas also confirmed the information about the test. Since then the singer-songwriter’s illegitimate daughter went by LaRhonda Brown-Pettit. She claimed that her father had picked out her mother from the audience in one of his concerts, and soon the pair started dating. Pettit said that the event happened in the 60s, and this makes her one of the oldest Brown children.
Apart from this information, little is known about James Brown’s daughter, LaRhonda Pettit. However, after scouring through the internet, we found out a Facebook page with her name. Unfortunately, LaRhonda Brown-Pettit passed on December 27, 2013, at West Houston. Her daughter, Ciara LaCora, informed her Facebook followers regarding her mother’s death and said that the page would be up to continue her legacy.
It is sad to see that the Brown family lost one other member of their family. Nevertheless, we hope LaRhonda Pettit lived her life to the fullest like her father and is now in peace.
LaRhonda Pettit Alleged That Her Father Was Murdered
While the battle about his estate was in full swing, James Brown’s daughter, LaRhonda Pettit, came forward and alleged that her father’s death was not due to a heart attack and that he was murdered. In 2010, Pettit claimed that the “You’ve Got the Power” singer’s body had gone missing. According to Irish Examiner, LaRhonda wanted to carry out an autopsy to determine the true cause of her father’s death. She was convinced that Brown was murdered by the people who were after his money.
While LaRhonda Pettit was adamant about her suspicion, Brown’s other daughter, Deanna Brown Thomas, dismissed the claims. Through her spokeswoman Elif Crawford, Deanna also stated that Pettit’s claim was a false allegation. According to the Guardian, the director of the funeral home that took care of James Brown’s memorial also said that the body is still in the two-tier mausoleum that is owned by Deanna.
Moreover, Pettit is not the only one who suspects foul play in James Brown’s death. Many of his friends and former employees have also questioned the events leading up to the multitalented artist’s final days. There are also questions over why Brown’s body was not taken for an autopsy. Yamma Brown, one of James’ daughters, declined to do the autopsy.
Seeing the uncertainty regarding James Brown’s cause of death, it is no surprise that his daughter, LaRhonda Pettit spoke out about it. Decades after his death, there has been no concrete evidence about the issue, and according to CNN, around a dozen people are demanding a criminal investigation surrounding the mysterious events.
Battle Over James Brown’s Estate
On one hand, there are still questions regarding the cause of death, while on the other hand, James Brown’s family members have been fighting over his estate for more than fourteen years. He died in 2006, but to this day, there have been no definite results regarding the fortune of the late singer. Several parties have filed lawsuits to claim the assets as well as copyright claims for James Brown’s songs.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Brown’s net worth was estimated to be around $100 million at the time of his death. With such vast wealth to his name, it is no surprise that Brown’s family members are vying to gain a small fortune for themselves. We will have to wait and see what the court decides and hope that James Brown is happy with the decision they make.
Name Meaning – LaRhonda
The name LaRhonda means Good Spear and has Welsh origin.
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