Really sorry for loosing your friend, sincerely. Hunters, shootters and all kind of lovers of guns including me, are ever thinking what would happen in a similar situation with our guns. It will always depend of honesty of the cops and authorities whoe take care of the case, but in my country it is veri difficult guns return to family. It is most sure guns will be in hands of inescrupolus people, cops, and justice members. Finally the guns will be in bad hand, killers of thieves, bad people. That is ever so fear and skirring ideas in me and my friends group. Sorry for your lost again.
Juan, from Argentina