escheator

/ɪsˈtʃitər/
noun
  1. A government official who handles the transfer of property to the state when someone dies without a will or legal heirs.
    • In medieval England, the escheator was responsible for managing lands that reverted to the crown.
    • The county escheator investigated the estate to determine if any heirs existed.
    • The escheator filed the paperwork to claim the unclaimed land for the state.