The Kellers and Their Millions

"Inherent Superiority"

Prosecutors promised a quick retrial.

They had been frustrated by Cook's rulings that barred evidence about Keller's earlier life, including the abductions of his children, his name change and allegations of physical abuse. Also barred were the results of a psychological evaluation conducted as part of the custody fight over Fredchen.

But those results came to light during a bail hearing following the mistrial.

Psychologist Stephen Alexander said that he found Keller to have a "narcissistic personality disorder," along with certain sociopathic traits.

"They tend to see themselves as special, unique," Alexander explained. "They have a sense of inherent superiority...They don't feel shame the same way we do."

Cook decided to continue to deny bail, and Keller was packed away to a jail cell to await the retrial.

But Keller's leukemia is said to have recurred, and his condition and treatment schedule have led to numerous postponements. Both Paul and Eric, his adult biological sons, have died of cancer in recent years.

Keller Trust is being run by employees, and Fredchen is in the custody of Angelika, Rose's sister.

Fredchen Keller

Meanwhile, attorneys' fees continue to accumulate as Rose's survivors press a civil wrongful-death lawsuit.

Keller is said to have paid $3.8 million so far to attorneys involved in his divorce and criminal and civil cases—and his legal meter is running at a rate of $75,000 a month.

The electronic abstracts of the various legal filings in the Keller cases now run to some 50 pages on the Palm Beach court clerk's website, and more than a dozen lawyers have a piece of the action.

At this point, even the lawyers are hiring lawyers.

Martin Haines, Rose's divorce lawyer, was forced to hire an attorney to help legitimize the $1.4 million bill he sent to Fred Keller.

Another lawyer has accused the Keil brothers, Wolfgang and Klaus, of "reckless waste of estate assets by the payment of excessive attorneys' fees." Yet another, Theodore Babbitt, has asked a judge to curtail the number of attorneys drawing from the Keller well.

"I am concerned that there are a lot of fees being taken out of the estate and that there are too many lawyers," Babbitt told the Palm Beach Post.

One attorney called the proceedings "a circus."

Rose Keller's siblings and her son, approaching his teen years, stand to inherit the woman's estate, with Fredchen designated to receive 70 percent. But at last report, nearly every dime flowing into the estate was going toward paying attorneys' fees.

"There's only so much money," attorney Babbitt told the Florida paper.