The riddle of the missing Batman valuables owned by slain Fort Lauderdale millionaire Ben Novack Jr. has been solved - at least for now.

But the collection - thought to be the second-largest in the country - is now part of the ongoing battle over Novack's vast estate, with his widow, Narcy, claiming ownership of the property.

Novack's wife moved a good deal of the memorabilia to the couple's home, according to Douglas F. Hoffman, curator of Novack's estate.

For now, a judge has ruled she can continue to store it, but she is not permitted to move it or sell it, Hoffman said.

He is not sure what, if any, of the collection is missing. But Narcy Novack will be questioned under oath about that asset - as well as others owned by her husband - at a deposition on Oct. 20.

"I have great concern over the estate," Hoffman said. "The sheer volume of it is overwhelming. It's more than just the Batman stuff; it's furniture, cars, collectibles ... we have a lot of appraisers working on it."

Ben Novack, 53 - son of the late Ben Novack Sr., owner of the Fontainebleau hotel in Miami Beach - was found bludgeoned to death July 13 at a hotel in Rye Brook, N.Y., where he had organized a business convention. His wife found his body on the floor of the suite, bound with duct tape.

Read the rest of the story at MiamiHerald.com