insurance money

my mom passed away over a year ago my step dad was very disrespectful to my brother and i she had terminal cancer and we knew about how much time she had back to my step dad rumor through the family tree was that my mom had left a large sum of money to my brother and i and not him he has not contacted us since he basicaly kicked us out of his house before she passed i know she had life insurance policies and was named benificiary on at least one we have not heard anything from anyone have called my step dad but will not talk to us at all he still will not even release her personal belongings to us what steps can i take to find out what happened to the money