Season Two of Investigation Discovery's THE WILL: FAMILY SECRETS REVEALED - Real Life Stories of Grief and Greed

SILVER SPRING, Md., Sept. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Wills are curious things: a final document outlining what the deceased perceived of their loved ones left behind, dispersing dollars and cents, irreplaceable heirlooms, and sometimes, even one last jab at their enemies on the way out. THE WILL: FAMILY SECRETS REVEALED looks at the most contentious stories of inheritance and explores the family dynamics, legal wrangling and high emotions surrounding real-life stories in a world where grief and greed collide. The second season premieres with the disputed will of billionaire eccentric Howard Hughes, who left a mysterious handwritten will and $156 million to a gas station attendant he allegedly met ten years before his death. Drama and chaos ensue in each hour of this ten-episode season of THE WILL: FAMILY SECRETS REVEALED, premiering Wednesday, October 19 at 9 PM (ET), preceded at 8 PM (ET) by the premiere of the one-hour special THE WILL: OUTRAGEOUS FINAL WISHES.

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"THE WILL is a fascinating series that offers a glimpse into a dark corner of the justice system that we don't often have a chance to explore: post-mortem justice," said Henry Schleiff, president and general manager, Investigation Discovery. "A person's will should be executed as precisely as they wished, but last requests from beyond the grave often lead to more greed than grief."  

Leading up to the second season premiere, Investigation Discovery presents the one-hour special THE WILL: OUTRAGEOUS FINAL WISHES on Wednesday, October 19 at 8 PM (ET). For some people, what happens to their body after they die is their last chance to make a memorable statement about their life, and a simple funeral or cremation just won't cut it. The most eccentric final wishes are examined, from the eco-conscious who want their bodies disposed of in "green" ways to live funerals and a man whose casket pays homage to his favorite beverage, Pabst Blue Ribbon. While people can do what they want to their body or belongings – as long as it's legal – a panel of experts including lawyers, an estate-planning expert, and a mortician evaluate the likelihood if any of these wild wishes would actually hold up in a funeral home or, more importantly, a court of law.

Other wills featured in the new season of THE WILL: FAMILY SECRETS REVEALED include: country singer Conway Twitty, whose children and their stepmother battle it out in court over their inheritance shares; legendary R&B musician Johnnie Taylor, who left his fortune to be split by his six acknowledged children – until three more people stepped forward claiming they were his children too; and the estate of philanthropist Lillian Garis Booth, who left $10 million of her $220 million estate to her nephew – a convicted serial killer currently serving a life sentence – but nothing to her partner of 51 years.

THE WILL: FAMILY SECRETS REVEALED is produced for Investigation Discovery by CMJ Productions II Inc. with John Kuyk as executive producer.  For Investigation Discovery, Pamela Deutsch is executive producer, Sara Kozak is vice president of production and Henry Schleiff is president and general manager.

About Investigation Discovery

Investigation Discovery (ID) is America's leading investigation network and the fastest-growing network in television. As the source for fact-based analytical content and compelling human stories, ID probes factors that challenge our everyday understanding of culture, society and the human condition. ID delivers the highest-quality programming to more than 77 million U.S. households with viewer favorites that include On the Case with Paula Zahn, Disappeared, Unusual Suspects and Stolen Voices, Buried Secrets. For more information, please visit InvestigationDiscovery.com, facebook.com/InvestigationDiscovery, or twitter.com/DiscoveryID.  Investigation Discovery is part of Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), the world's #1 nonfiction media company reaching more than 1.5 billion cumulative subscribers in 210 countries and territories.

Please visit the Press Website at http://press.discovery.com/us/id/programs/the-will/ for additional press materials, screeners, and photography.

SOURCE Investigation Discovery