A Legal Battle Over Legacy and Identity
A woman from California has initiated a high-stakes legal dispute in Manhattan's Surrogate’s Court, asserting that DNA testing confirms she is the secret daughter of renowned sculptor Fred Eversley. She claims this makes her entitled to a share of his $40 million estate. The case has sparked significant interest, as it involves not only financial stakes but also questions of identity and familial recognition.
Kelly Krechmer, 54, has long believed that Fred Eversley was her father. Her late mother, Patricia, had told her this for decades, and now, Krechmer says, genetic evidence supports her claim. In a May 13 legal filing, she revealed that she sent her saliva to 23andMe in July 2024, and the results confirmed her lifelong belief that Eversley was her father.
Fred Eversley, a pioneering black expressionist, was celebrated for his sculptures displayed in prestigious galleries such as the Museum of Modern Art, London’s Tate Gallery, and the Smithsonian. He passed away on March 14 at the age of 83. His estate reportedly includes $27 million in personal property and $12 million in real estate, according to court records.
Eversley’s will, signed on September 4, 2024, left most of his assets to his wife of 12 years, Anna Maria Larsson Eversley, and $250,000 each to his siblings, Donald and Rani. Krechmer’s name was notably absent from the document.
In her legal filing, Krechmer alleges that she confronted Eversley decades ago at his SoHo studio, only to be met with a denial of paternity. She claims that when she explained her belief that he was her father, he refused to take a paternity test, stating that he “can’t have kids because I work with toxic substances.” She further claims that he rejected subsequent requests for testing.
Krechmer also states that she emailed the artist’s studio with her DNA results in August 2024, just a month before his will was finalized. However, she never received a response. She suspects that her message may have been intercepted by his wife.
The attorneys representing the estate have strongly contested Krechmer’s claims. They stated that they are aware of the lawsuit brought by a woman who now claims to be Eversley’s daughter, despite no prior relationship with him or any acknowledgment from him. They described the claim as an opportunistic attempt to exploit a moment of loss for personal gain. The Estate considers the claim entirely meritless and plans to respond through proper legal channels.
Born in Brooklyn’s East New York neighborhood in 1941, Eversley was an engineering prodigy who designed high-powered acoustic devices before transitioning to art in the late 1960s. He became a central figure in the Light and Space movement, with his precision-cast sculptures fetching six-figure sums at auction in his later years.
More than a year after his death, Eversley’s legacy is now entangled in a bitter courtroom battle over whether a woman he never named or acknowledged has a rightful place in his lineage and fortune.
A hearing in the case is scheduled for January 14, 2026, marking a pivotal moment in this ongoing legal dispute. The outcome could have far-reaching implications not only for the parties involved but also for the broader discussion around family, identity, and inheritance.