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Judge appoints conservator for Betty Williams, orders DA referral after alleged $300,000 withdrawals
Summary
The court appointed Claire Dunkley as conservator for Betty Jean Williams after testimony that the named power of attorney withdrew about $300,000 from Williams’ accounts; the judge ordered a referral to the district attorney for possible theft and elder-abuse charges.
A Dixon County chancery judge on June 15 appointed Claire Dunkley as conservator for Betty Jean Williams and ordered the matter referred to the district attorney for investigation after testimony that someone holding a power of attorney had withdrawn roughly $300,000 from Williams’ bank account.
Counsel for NHC Dixon, which filed the emergency petition, told the court the nursing-home resident has Alzheimer’s, malnutrition and “failure to thrive,” and that the facility could not reach the named power of attorney, identified in filings as Tanya Halpin. Counsel said staff performed a wellness check and found Williams’ home abandoned and in disrepair.
Claire Dunkley, who had been appointed as an emergency conservator, testified under oath that she reviewed bank records provided by Pinnacle Bank and that there have been numerous withdrawals over the past six months “about 300,000,” none of which appeared to be for Williams’ care. “Miss Halpin had taken out two more withdrawals within the last few weeks,” Dunkley said, describing one memo line as a medical payment and another as a car payment for a vehicle Dunkley said Williams did not purchase.
Judge David D. Wolfe said he had reviewed a physician’s report and found it appropriate to make the conservatorship permanent. The judge also instructed counsel to refer the case to the district attorney general’s office for the 20th3rd judicial district and stated, in court, his estimation that the conduct “is guilty of felony theft” and that the matter should be investigated under Tennessee’s elder-abuse statutes.
The court marked the physician’s report admitted and placed it under seal. The judge directed that the conservatorship process continue through the 60‑day period so staff can identify a permanent decision-maker and allow the conservator to secure assets and address Williams’ medical needs.
Next steps: the court scheduled follow-up and directed counsel to refer the matter to the district attorney for investigation; no criminal charges were entered during the hearing.
