Santa Fe lawyer applies to represent estate of woman killed on Rust set, file possible wrongful death claim

Jan. 27—The family of a cinematographer shot and killed on the set of Rust outside Santa Fe in October appears to be preparing to file a wrongful death suit on her behalf.

Halyna Hutchins, 42, died after being struck by a bullet that came from a firearm the film's star Alec Baldwin was holding during rehearsal of a scene, according to Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office.

Baldwin told ABC's George Stephanopoulos in December he never pulled the trigger. An investigation into the incident is ongoing.

Santa Fe attorney Kristina Martinez filed a petition in state District Court on Wednesday seeking to be appointed a personal representative of Hutchins' estate for the purpose of "investigating, and potentially filing and litigating, a wrongful death lawsuit."

The petition was filed with the support of Hutchins' husband Matthew Hutchins and the couple's minor son, according to the request submitted by the Albuquerque law firm of McGinn, Montoya, Love & Curry.

The petition does not state who may be named as a defendant in such a lawsuit or what the basis for the claim might be.

Randi McGinn, a partner in the law firm which filed the petition, declined to provide details Thursday but said Hutchins' husband and son would be the beneficiaries of any funds recovered through a lawsuit.

Rust Movie Productions LLC has been named a respondent in other legal proceedings.

According to the New Mexico Secretary of State's website, the company was formed in August by Stephen R. Foreht of Thomasville, Ga. Corporation Service Company of Hobbs is listed as the registered agent.

The New Mexican was unable to locate contact information for Foreht.