Can someone be named an executor when there is no will and if so
What is there role?

Can someone be named an executor when there is no will and if so
what is there role?

Yes - a person who dies without a will is said to have died "intestate." The court will have to appoint an executor, usually a close relative who lives nearby. The role of the executor is to settle the estate's affairs - including paying final bills, filing tax returns, and distributing estate assets to the heirs. If there is no will the split of asssets to the heirs is controlled by state law, and depends on what relatives the decedant had.