Attorneys representing the late American painter Thomas Kinkade's wife, Nanette, trustee and executor of the Kinkade Family Trust and the artist's estate, have filed a temporary restraining order against his live-in girlfriend, Amy Pinto-Walsh. She also said she was Kinkade's live-in girlfriend, was with him for 18 months and that Kinkade had been separated from his wife Nanette for quite a while. The petition, to be heard by Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Patricia M. Lucas, seeks to prohibit Pinto-Walsh from making statements or engaging in conduct that has the effect of defaming, criticizing, disparaging or discrediting Kinkade, Nanette Kinkade, or any company owned by Kinkade "to appear in a negative light or false light." Judge Lucas is set to hear the matter at 9 a.m., Tuesday, April 24, in department 2 of the Santa Clara County Superior Court Civil Division, 191 No. Murray writes in his declaration that he's been present in meetings which Pinto-Walsh also attended, during which aspects of Kinkade companies' business plans, strategies, financial information and other private sensitive information were mentioned.
– Thomas Kinkade's wife doesn't want his girlfriend dishing dirt on the recently deceased artist. Wife Nanette has filed a restraining order against live-in girlfriend Amy Pinto-Walsh, designed to stop her from saying or doing anything that would cast a negative light on Kinkade, the Los Angeles Times reports. This in the wake of Pinto showing a family friend personal documents of Kinkade's that would be damaging—and a report that she was "gathering evidence" to "tear down" his family and businesses. Whatever Pinto has on him "would be personally devastating not only for Mrs. Kinkade, but also for the family's four daughters, who are grieving the sudden loss of their father," wrote Nanette's attorneys, according to the Los Gatos Patch. Kinkade has already faced criticism for allegedly nasty business practices that drove former gallery owners to financial ruin. With all this meanness swirling around, the Times notes that Kinkade's family may have attributed his death to natural causes too hastily; autopsy results aren't out yet. Kinkade reportedly drank heavily the night before and was $9 million in debt at the time.