CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — It’s been five months since music star and Tejano legend Johnny Canales died, and there’s already a fight over his estate.

This is no ordinary battle between family members, but a battle between his widow Nora Canales and a woman who claims to be Johnny’s surviving wife.

The legal bombshell was dropped Thursday afternoon at the Nueces County Courthouse.

A woman named Sylvia Ann Castillo claims she is Canales’ wife and that they are still married.

His attorney, Esteban Lopez, filed a temporary injunction to prevent Johnny’s widow, Nora Canales, from selling or transferring any property owned by the estate, withdrawing money from checking, savings accounts or other financial plans or to get rid of Johnny Canales’ financial records.

According to court documents filed, Castillo said she married the Robstown native on Aug. 13, 1980, in Duval County, Texas. According to publicdata.com, Castillo was 17 at the time and Canales was 37. Castillo said their marriage was never annulled by the state of Texas or dissolved through divorce.

Castillo claims she was legally married to the legendary TV host in March 1995 when Canales, 52 at the time, married Nora Canales, 23, in Maverick County, Texas.

In the court filing, Castillo states that because Johnny was legally married to her when he married Nora, his marriage to Nora was void under Texas law.

Nora is therefore in possession of property and funds belonging to the Canales estate. A valid written will was dated May 20, 2024. It named Nora Canales as independent executor.

The host of “El Show de Johnny y Nora Canales” died on June 12.

Castillo asked the court to preserve and protect properties owned by Canales’ estate, which have a “probable value in excess of $50,000.”

At the time of Canales’ death, he owned a home on Fm 665 in Corpus Christi, Texas, as well as interests in the following properties:

• Cruz Calle Property, 100 acres in Duval County, Texas
• JMG Falcon Property, 37 acres in Duval County, Texas
• Quemado, 46 ​​acres in Maverick County, Texas
• TR 10, 7.46 acres in Nueces County, Texas

KRIS 6 reached out to the attorneys representing Castillo and Nora Canales and has not yet received a response.
A hearing will be held at Law 3 County Court on November 6 at 1:30 p.m.

This is a developing story. Keep it on kristv.com for the latest updates.