Does the $6.1 million from the sale of the Andrew Getty mansion go to the ex-girlfriend or to the family?

Even though the infamous Andrew Getty Mansion sold recently for $6.1 million, the controversy over the classic Spanish Revival party house in the Hollywood Hills continues. Andrew R. Getty, one of several heirs to the John Paul Getty oil fortune, lived, loved, and died there, and a legal battle lingers over the proceeds from the multimillion-dollar sale. I did a little digging into the affair recently for an article published on Realtor.com.

Getty lived there for almost 18 years, leading the swinging bachelor life without doing much preservation or restoration. The place was in abject disrepair when he was found dead in the master bathroom. He died of a gastrointestinal hemorrhage exacerbated by a meth overdose, according to the Los Angeles County Coroner’s report. He was only 47.

His body was discovered by an ex-girlfriend against whom he’d recently taken out a restraining order, People magazine reported. Having lived beyond his means and his multimillion-dollar trust fund, he was deeply in debt—mostly to his family.

Getty’s estate spent more than a year preparing the Andrew Getty mansion for sale, sorting through his belongings and cleaning, painting, and restoring (to an extent) the home. Some of the expensive furniture and artwork in the house might have been on loan from his family, and this is where things get tricky.

Getty had a will, lodged in Los Angeles County probate court, naming another ex-girlfriend as his sole heir. If he had died without a will, his estate would have automatically reverted back to his parents. As it is, the ex-girlfriend has a claim to the proceeds from the sale of the home and its contents.

To understand what all the fuss is about, (at least from the perspective of the residence) let’s go back to the home’s not-so-humble beginnings. It was designed in the 1920s by popular architect John L. DeLario, on a hilltop with impressive views of the San Fernando Valley, which, at the time, was considerably more rustic. The home’s second owner was composer and musician Miklos Rozsa, who won Oscars for his scores for Spellbound, A Double Life, and Ben-Hur.

The prolific film composer owned the property for about 50 years before Getty purchased it from his estate for $990,000 in 1996, according to public records. The home has eight bedrooms and six bathrooms in 4,712 square feet of luxurious space.

Getty must have been attracted to the original leaded glass, tile work on the floors and in the bathrooms, wood-beamed ceilings, herringbone wood flooring, and arched doors and windows. Also attractive are the paneled library, a wine vault, a safe room, and a secret tunnel built with Prohibition in mind.

With a kidney-shaped pool with a view, two-story cabana, and bar area, the outside offers even more to love. The home’s location—on one of the biggest lots in the area, measuring 7 hilly acres—made it irresistible to a wealthy heir.

Fast forward to today. Getty’s father, Gordon Getty, the son of John Paul Getty, claims his son owes the family millions. TMZ correctly reports that Gordon Getty has filed a $14.1 million lawsuit against the estate. The proceeds from this $6.1 million home sale hardly begin to cover that amount.

Time, and the legal system, will tell whether the Getty family or the ex-girlfriend will prevail. Meanwhile, the new owners who bought the home through a trust can enjoy their valuable, massive estate. While it needs some work and comes with a bit of baggage, it has quite the interesting backstory. A little bit of history can be priceless.

Infamous Andrew Getty Mansion Sells — But Who Gets the Proceeds?

Get more details and see more photos on Realtor.com.