In Connecticut title would seem to pass to the surviving joint tenant if a right of survivorship was contained in the deed by which the joint tenants took title. Our statutes with respect to conveyance of title by one joint tenant to another by reason of death are silent as to the cause of death. However, the decedent's estate could seek a court order attempting to set aside the conveyance of title on equitable grounds.There is verbiage in our conveyance statutes that also provides that a conveyance of interest or encumbrance of title to property by a joint tenant made prior to his/her death is enforceable against the surviving tenant, but I am not sure if this would apply in the instant scenario.

However, there are other statutes both state and federal to be considered. The decedent's estate would certainly have a claim for wrongful death against the surviving tenant, and the estate could attach the property initially at the onset of the suit, and perfect and foreclose a judgment lien on the property if they obtained a verdict against the defendant joint tenant. There are also federal and state statutes which provide for crime victims to recover againt a criminal defendant, but the question is whether the decedent's estate and/or his/her heirs qualify as victims. Some state's crime victims recovery laws are more restrictive than others.