Gloria J. Pflughaupt died in October 2022, leaving 104 acres of cropland, 24 acres of marginal land and a homestead in Linn County to her four children. In November 2022, her eldest daughter and son were named executors, tasked with safeguarding the estate’s assets.
A broker’s price opinion in January 2023 placed the farm at $1.2 million. By April, the executors incorporated that figure into the inventory sent to the siblings. In January 2023, Jordan Pflughaupt and Kimberlee Leopold offered to buy the older siblings’ shares for $600,000, a proposal the executors rejected.
Cabrina and James later signed contracts to purchase the entire farm themselves, proposing to split it into three parcels. The court found the move a conflict of interest, noting the executors had failed to secure court approval under Iowa Code §633.155 and had not proven the deal was in the estate’s best interest.
The appellate decision, issued on February 11, 2026, upheld the removal and mandated a public auction of the property. The auction will allow all beneficiaries to bid, and the estate will retain the highest offer. The court deferred the sale to a date set by the county clerk, who is expected to announce it next month.