[A CA Guy]

I don't think they lost the high ground at all, just think about it:
#1 She dies and before the body is discovered, he sells her car and other stuff.
#2 Dad gets a hoity toity expensive lawyer who will no doubt be looking to take the home and stuff inside for pay, maybe soon.

So if they didn't act now, then they would be never able to have their daughter's and sister's stuff which is precious to the family.
It would go to strangers for the lawyers money.

Lawyers or her family, who should get stuff?
You don't know lawyers maybe, but if they didn't do this now, the stuff wouldn't be there later to take.

It was now or never, and with the other side in there constantly, you want to bet the neighbors had a part in telling them when to come in there?

[Chad Fairbanks]

Well, if they had taken it to court, and contested the property, isn't it possible that the property could have then been in legal limbo until it was all sorted out, emaning that no one could take the property, or claim ownership, until it was concluded?

It may not grant immediate results, but I'm assuming that there had to have been a LEGAL way for them to deal with this... if not, then I stand corrected...