On February 28, 1985, Golden West—whose assets had been technically been for sale under a divestiture order from the California state government since shortly after the May 1980 death of Autry's wife, Ina Mae—sold KAUT to Atlanta-based Rollins Communications (owned by O. Wayne Rollins, co-founder of pest control services company Rollins Inc.) for $5.5 million. The sale received FCC approval on April 10, and was finalized two months later on June 11. Subsequently, on June 12, 1986, Des Moines, Iowa-based Heritage Broadcasting acquired a controlling interest in Rollins Communications – with the combined company forming Heritage Media – in a two-tiered tender acquisition worth $260 million. The Heritage purchase received FCC approval on September 18.