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ANNISTON, Ala. (WIAT) — An 86-year-old French woman who relocated to Alabama to wed her former flame is now entangled in a legal battle and finds herself detained in an ICE facility in Louisiana. This comes just a few months after the passing of her husband, sparking a bitter dispute with his sons over inheritance issues.
Marie-Therese Helene Claire Ross-Mahé, who became the wife of William “Bill” Ross in April 2025, lived with him until his death in January. On April 1st, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrived at her Anniston home, taking her into custody while she was still in her nightgown and robe, as noted in filings with the Calhoun County Probate Court.
A neighbor reported that within an hour of Marie-Therese’s removal, her stepson, Gary Ross, along with his wife, appeared at the house, entered, and changed the locks. At that moment, Marie-Therese was embroiled in a legal dispute with her late husband’s sons, Gary and Tony Ross, over the estate. The judge presiding over the case has indicated that the sons may have played a role in their stepmother’s current situation.
The love story of Marie-Therese and Bill Ross dates back to the 1960s when they first crossed paths in France. Bill, who was serving in the U.S. Army, met Marie-Therese while she worked as a bilingual secretary at the NATO base near Saint-Nazaire, as her children recounted to Ouest France newspaper on April 10.
Court documents reveal that Bill Ross initially met both Marie-Therese and her friend, Michele Pierrette, at the same time. However, it was Michele who captured Bill’s heart, leading him to return to Alabama with her and marry her in 1962. Their marriage lasted until Michele’s death in 2018.
In 2010, the couple and Marie-Therese, who was already married and had three children, somehow reconnected, meeting up several times. Then, with her own husband dying in 2022, Marie-Therese and Ross, then a widow, took their relationship to a new level, her traveling from her home in Orvault to Anniston to see him.
By April 2025, Marie-Therese had told her children that she intended to marry Ross and move to Anniston to be with him. In doing so, she gave up her state-funded pension.
“A charming, adorable man,” Marie-Thérèse’s son told Oust France. “They were just like two teenagers.”
Things changed after Ross died on Jan. 24. According to court documents, Marie-Therese had told her stepsons that she did not want anything from her late husband, other than enough money to go back to France.
According to court documents, Ross’ sons came to the house the day after he died, where they allegedly took his truck and Mercedes-Benz C3000.
“Ms. Ross requested the Mercedes be left at her home for her use for occassional errands,” the documents stated. “W.A. (Tony) Ross; reason for removing the Mercedes was Ms. Ross does not possess an Alabama driver’s license. W.A. Ross initially testified he had driven the Mercedes-Benz to work a few times to keep the battery from draining but later testified he had also drive it to Auburn.”
A week later, Ross’s sons allegedly forced Marie-Therese to give their father’s phone to them, the court documents stated. The three then began a dispute over Ross’ estate, including the cars, his $173,000 home, and a bank account worth an estimated $1,500. During all this, the sons allegedly cut off water, electricity and internet at Marie-Therese’s home.
Prior to her being detained by ICE, Marie-Therese was set to have another hearing in probate court within days of her arrest.
In the wake of Marie-Therese’s ICE arrest, Calhoun County Probate Judge Shirley Millwood has pointed suspicion at Gary and Tony Ross, arguing that they had something to do with her being taken away.
“At some point, the brothers sent Ms. Ross an offer to pay her $10,000 in exchange for her signing a waiver and consent for them to be appointed Administrators of the estate and a disclaimer that would divest her of all interests in her statutory rights to inherit the estate,” Millwood’s order stated.
According to Millwood, Ross’ sons also rerouted all the mail going to Marie-Therese and his home, including mail from immigration services meant for her. At the time, she was reportedly in the middle of trying to get a green card.
In her order, Millwood alleged that Tony Ross, a former Alabama state trooper who currently works at the United States Federal Courthouse in Anniston, knew the day before Marie-Therese was going to be picked up by ICE, as well as reportedly receiving a text message within an hour of her arrest.
“After the brothers were unsuccessful in coercing Ms. Ross to accept their offer, this court believes William Anthony Ross used his position as a United States Federal Government employee for personal gain,” Millwood wrote. “This Court believes that Ms. Ross, an 86-year-old female, is sitting in a detention facility in Louisiana due to William Anthony Ross using his position as a United States Government employee.”
In the weeks since she was taken by ICE, Marie-Therese’s children have sounded the alarm, looking to do anything they can to get her out of the South Louisiana Processing Center in Basile, Louisiana, where she is currently being held.
“According to neighbors who testified in court, our mother would have won her case,” her son told Oust France. “But for us, the urgent priority is to get her out of this detention center and have her repatriated to France. Given her health, she won’t last a month under such detention conditions.”
“Given her age, we really want her to get out of this situation as soon as possible,” Sambou said. “We want to get her out of jail.”
Attempts to reach both Gary and Tony Ross were unsuccessful Thursday.
Read the full court documents on the case below.