One of the most salacious, tortured and long-running murder cases in Palm Beach County history found its way back to the courthouse this week when attorneys sued convicted millionaire murderer James Sullivan for the millions he owes his dead wifes estate.

With the clocking running out on a 20-year deadline to collect a $13.5 million judgment from Sullivan for hiring a hitman to kill his estranged wife, Lita Sullivan, in her Atlanta townhouse, attorneys said they had to file suit to keep the former Palm Beach resident on the financial hook.

By law, the judgment expires Feb. 25, exactly 20 years after a Palm Beach County civil jury ordered Sullivan to pay $4 million for causing his 35-year-old socialite wifes death. With interest, the judgment has ballooned to $13.5 million, according to the lawsuit filed in Palm Beach County Circuit Court.

The unusual lawsuit is a way to keep the judgment alive.

West Palm Beach lawyer J. Brad Moores and Atlanta attorney David Boone, who pursued Sullivan in civil court when prosecutors in Atlanta couldnt find enough evidence to file criminal charges against the savvy investor, said they see no reason their lawsuit will not be successful.

We have a judgment. We have not been made whole. Its pretty simple, Boone said.

Even though Sullivan was finally convicted of his wifes death in 2006 and is now serving a life sentence in a Georgia prison, both attorneys said they are convinced he still has access to millions he stashed in Swiss Bank accounts. Decades-long efforts to recover the money failed. But both attorneys said they arent giving up on their quest to recover the money for Lita Sullivans parents.

I cant predict where things will ultimately go but I think I can predict one thing: Were not going away, Moores said.

And, he said, he is equally sure that Sullivan hopes they would.

Its always been about the money, he said. Hed rather pour lighter fluid on it and set it one fire than see one dime go to my clients. Hes a sociopath.

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Palm Beach murderer James Sulllivan sued to recover $13.5 million he was ordered to pay 20 years ago for killing his ...