Had a similar issue last year when my brother suddenly became ill and past away. He had recently moved into the county where I live in Colorado. Because he hadn't been under a doctors care, and he past away while he was home alone the county quickly secured his weapons and locked up his house as a possible crime sceen. After a short investigation they concluded it was a natural death, but because the weapons were already in police custody and his exsecuture was in Califonia ( where a few of the weapons are illegal because of state law) getting them released became a problem. Long story short it's going to boil down to what the local law enforcement officials decide. Luckily I was able to secure the weapons release sell most of them locally and returned the others to his children in person.