Owners deceased, who takes control after canceled sheriff sale?

[Ryan Howard]

So I was under the impression that a property I was trying to buy was in the name of a friends grandfather. The property belonged to my friends great grandmother but when she died I guess the deed was never transferred. The property was supposed to go up for sheriff sale in 2014 but was cancelled by the bureau according to the sheriff office. I tried to call the bureau but the lady said she said they usually don't do that and it may be the school district that cancelled it but I keep getting I answer. Doesn't this sound like a dead end or how can I find a way to acquire this property?